Future Diary - Existence: Rewrite
by unseenmemory
Summary: "Heh. If I'm going to die, then I'll go out in a blaze of glory! I'll make you my witness!" -What will happen to the world if Amano, Yukiteru's existence was erased? More importantly, what will happen to Gasai, Yuno? This is a Rewrite version of my first fanfic, Existence. All rights reserved to the creator of the series, Sakae Esuno-sensei.
1. Opening Words

Hello there, dear reader! UnseenMemory here. Welcome to my latest fanfic, which is Future Diary – Existence:Rewrite. You're probably thinking, what's the difference between the two? Well, I'm here to ask some of your questions about this new fanfic.

 _What's the difference between this and the original Existence?_

Rewrite is a what if scenario where Toshiro, my OC in that fanfic, was a psychopath from the start. In this version, Toshiro will have a "darker" personality. Since I established that he's a famed young assassin in the underworld, I made him into a more thrill-seeking combatant who loves fighting someone who's capable of killing him. He's much smarter, and cunning compared to the original Toshiro.

Also, the plot will be different. Unlike in the original Existence, I followed the original plot of the series too close. I was really dependent on the canon plot back then, but now, I want to try something new. Though the plot differs, like how a major fight or event ends up, the new plot will still follow the order of battles (Like Third, Ninth, etc.). Some events will have the same outcome (such as the first fight with Ninth) but I'll try my best to differ the outcome of each battle.

The story progresses on how Toshiro becomes more "humane" in his actions (like from a villain into an anti-hero). I'll focus more on his character development and how he'll interact with these emotions that began surfacing in him.

 _So if Toshiro's crazy from the get-go, what's Shaco's role in this one?_

Shaco will be more of an advisor in his head. If you've read my previous fanfic, their roles were opposite. Toshiro was the reluctant type while Shaco is the savage type. This time around, Toshiro will take the savage role while Shaco, who's wiser this time around, will be the voice of reason.

 _Is it still about Yuno and Toshiro? How about Yukiteru?_

Yes, it'll still be about my OCxYuno pairing. Midway of the fanfic, Toshiro will develop emotions to Yuno, though he'll ignore it. It's like he's interested in her being, but not in a romantic way. After a certain event, he'll come to terms with his emotions and his true role to the world. He'll have to decide either he can give Yuno fake happiness, or true happiness. (that's where Yukiteru comes in)

 _Why did you even bother making a new version of your old fanfic? Why did you make another fanfic for Mirai Nikki?_

Truth to be told, I'm quite unsatisfied on how I wrote Existence. I made Toshiro somewhat similar to Yukiteru, which is pretty frustrating. I wanted to make an OC that could carry his own weight, but I ended up with an OC that's just hesitant and keeps on making excuses about his actions. I made him irritating, which I didn't intend to. Also, Mirai Nikki is a guilty pleasure of mine. So, yeah.

So that's it. If you have any other questions, please do leave me a message! Also, please a review on what do you think the rewrite version of Existence. Alright, that's for now. I do hope you'll enjoy reading this fanfic! Goodbye for now!


	2. Back to the Start

_Yare yare. Wake up._

I could feel a slight shaking beside my head. Ugh. What is that? Ah. That's probably my alarm. I slowly sat up and opened my droopy eyes. As the blur in my vision slowly got cleared out, I quickly grabbed onto my phone. Hm. It's already 7:45am? Geez. Why did I stayed up late last night? I'll be late for school. Ah. I left those files and folders on top of my study desk. Wait. Why was I reviewing my previous files again? Pft. Whatever. I'll just fix this mess and clutter inside my room later. I sluggishly stood up and went outside of my messy room. After placing a piece of bread inside the toaster, I made my way towards the bathroom. I took off my clothes and placed them by the basket.

 _ **CLICK!**_

I turned on the shower. The sudden stream of hot water managed to catch my attention. I could feel a slight pain as I quickly stepped back. I slowly adjusted the shower valve as I felt my whole body waking up. Ugh. Finally. I really needed that sudden hot stream. After a quick shower, I hurriedly dried myself up. The moment I saw my face in front of the mirror, I can't help but to stop and stare at my facial scars. Hm. It's almost two years, huh? I've been living this normal life for almost two years, but why do I feel so empty? Isn't this what I wanted from the first place? A boring and average life? My deep blue eyes were fixated on my scars. A horizontal one on the bridge of my nose, and a vertical one on my left jaw. Not to mention, I still have 9 more in different parts of my body. Is it just me, or my scars are standing out more than the usual? Tsh. Whatever. That doesn't matter.

My name is Nohiru, Toshiro.

Currently Sixteen years old, male, average build with well-defined muscles, 5 feet and 7 inches tall, sporting a black side-brushed hairstyle. Currently living under the care of my ever invisible guardian and former informant. You can say I'm currently hiding in unit 823 of Sakurami Condominiums, which my guardian owns.

From the get go, I look like a delinquent. A rowdy male teenager who keeps on getting into fights. Heh. Well, you could say that. That was my previous life though. To be honest, I have lived a somewhat terrible life. Well, that's me trying to be an optimist.

I lost my parents at the young age of 5. After a year in an orphanage, a man who claimed to be my uncle took me in for 6 years, and he trained me. He molded me into something he always wanted; a weapon. I became a living weapon that would always follow his instructions and would always be loyal to him. I've lived without feelings or remorse. My uncle would usually beat me up until I can no longer stand. There were nights that I couldn't even sleep at all thanks to the pain. I had bruises, wounds and cuts in every inch of my body. He insisted that it was necessary to improve my body's pain threshold.

Heh. I call bullshit.

He just likes to torture people, be the top-dog and the superior one. He's a fucking sadist if you ask me. His personality befits his field of expertise. He was my biological father's assassin of sorts. He was the one who always kept his hands dirty during a job.

Thoughts aside, I hurriedly put on some clothes and went out of the unit. Ah, shit. At this rate, I'm good as late. Geez. As I hurriedly walked towards Sakurami Middle School, somehow I kept remembering my past. A year and 6 months ago, I finally snapped. I've had it with all the shit he made me go through. After that final contract that he set up, I had to kill him. He planned to kill me. I was just a loose end. In retaliation, I stuck him down. During one sparring session, I gave in to this demon-like fury that I've been keeping inside of me. In one fell swoop, I landed a strong right hook on his throat. The impact itself dislodged his throat and knocked him out. Within a few seconds, he died. I could only watch as I saw my auntie holding his lifeless corpse, screaming and cursing me.

I ran away from that household. I never looked back. Their smiles, words of encouragement were all fake. Though he may be brutal, those two were the only ones who gave me company. I never learned how to make a friend. I never had the time to dally with those things. Contract after contract, person after person, I slowly lost interest in getting attached to anyone. Heck. Everyone dies in the end. You'll only get hurt when you get attached, so why even bother? Does my guardian counts as a friend? Nah. I don't think so. Our relationship is strictly professional. Heh. Besides, who would accept me? No one will accept a bloodthirsty person like me.

At the time that my guardian took me in, he enrolled me to Sakurami Middle School. Yes, a middle school. During the 6 years that I was under the "care" of my uncle and the 4 years that I worked as a "trash collector" for my employer, I was home-schooled by my auntie. Well, she taught me the basics in mathematics, history and literature. At times, she even taught me how to speak English. My guardian somehow managed to erase every record and connections I had with my uncle and with my previous life. He said that he made sure that he'd gave a clean slate, a chance to live a normal life. He really took my words at that time seriously, huh?

* * *

 _I'll grant you a single wish, so speak up._

I want … a normal life …

 _A normal life?_

Yeah … a normal, quiet, and boring life …

* * *

So far, attending school helped me manage my sanity. Actually, how could a young boy maintain his sanity at that time he was killing people for his uncle? Maybe, I'm actually crazy. Pft. Anyway, though school life could be a chore and dragging, I found it pretty relaxing compared to my previous lifestyle. The only problem that I have is that people keeps on shunning me for being too quiet. I can't blame them though, since in reality, I'm actually socially awkward.

I let out a deep sigh of relief as I reached the school's gates. As I changed into my indoor shoes, I quickly noticed someone near the stairwell. I snuck a quick glance before going up. I saw a girl surrounded by her friends, smiling and laughing. Hm. Is having friends that a big deal? If I managed to get some friends, would I capable to smile brightly like her? Heh. I'm pretty envious of her. Friends, huh? Pft. The hell am I thinking. I don't need those. As I reached my classroom's floor, I suddenly realized something. Wait a minute. That girl was the same girl that I talked before, right?

* * *

Before the end of my first year of school, we had this future career survey. Most of my classmates quickly answered and left the room. In the end, it was one of my classmates and I left inside the room. The survey really made me think, do I still have a future? Do I have the right to say that I deserve a future? I literally froze as I kept questioning myself in my head. It was no use, I couldn't even answer myself. "To hell with this," I said to myself. Without thinking, I started to write something on the paper, "I want to be happy." Well, that was random. It sounds so plain and stupid.

 _Can't think of anything to write down?_

A sudden feminine voice startled me. As I looked back, my remaining classmate stood behind me. Gasai, Yuno. 14 years of age, sporting this long pink hair in pigtails and two frontal locks. She's intelligent, popular, and in my standards, beautiful. As she stood behind me, her pink hair swayed as we felt the wind's gentle breeze. Her pretty pink eyes reflected the dead look that I had at that time.

She moved closer towards me and glanced at my paper. "You want to be happy? That seems quite plain and common," she commented with a smile. "Hey. It's better than nothing," I replied as I looked away from her. "How about this, we'll try to be happy together," she suggested. I really thought it was a joke, like a sarcastic comment. I tried to act normal and played along. "That's pretty possible if you're my-" She cuts me off. She leaned in and proceeded to write something on my paper. I could smell a faint aroma that caught my attention. She … smells good.

 _I will be Nohiru-kun's little bride._

Wait. What? She'll be my bride? I wasn't even think of that earlier. I thought she'd be my friend or something. Nevertheless, she shouldn't joke around like that. I might sound stupid, but she'll get my hopes up.

"Pft. Alright then, I'll be your husband once we're old enough," I replied as I gave her a grin. Wait. She's blushing? Why is she blushing? Is she … serious? Wait. What the hell is this am I feeling inside of me? Am I … becoming flustered over this sudden conversation? I quickly turned my face away as I noticed the redness of my cheeks. I flushed, which is something very unlike me. "I look forward to our future then!" she replied with a smile.

* * *

That was our last interaction together. After that, we never spoke to one another again. Pft. I knew it, she was just playing around with me. She wasn't serious at all. I tried talking to her countless times, but she would always avoid me. Man, I'm such a dumbass. Geez. It was too good to be true. Though, I've noticed something. There are times that I'd noticed someone following me. Whenever I turn around, I could see a faint color of pink that suddenly disappears. It's like when someone suddenly hides in a corner to hide from my sight. Is she … actually following me? Bah. That's a load of crap. You're getting delusional, Toshiro.

You don't need her. You don't need anyone. No can understand you.

The day passed like a blur. School was a chore. I sat down on my bed and stared blankly at the wall. I guess it's time to go back to my "place", a place I created from the figments of my imagination, a place where I could be with my only "friends". I slowly closed my eyes.

Am I right, Deus?

The moment I reopened my eyes, I was welcomed to a familiar place; The Casualty Cathedral. The cathedral was eerie and had this violet fog clouding my vision. I was sitting on my usual metal throne near the middle. In the middle was my imaginary friend, Deus-Ex-Machina. He calls himself the god of time and space, which is pretty funny if you ask me. He's an imaginary being yet he holds himself that high. Still, he's the only being that listens to my rants.

 _Ah! Toshiro! Well, aren't you early?_

That voice behind me was MurMur, Deus' assistant of some sort. She has a body of a small, dark-skinned, child. She has long, silver, pig-tailed hair and she wore these weird looking bangles on her wrists. "I didn't have anything to do, so might as well crash the place earlier," I replied as I crossed my legs. "Oh, Toshiro, I didn't notice you. Wait for a bit, I'm just adjusting the casualty rate," Deus said as he tinkered with his contraption. "Take your time," I replied as I brought my phone out and randomly browsed my files.

"You still have that diary of some sort, right?" MurMur asked as she peeked behind me. "Yeah, it's a habit. I doubt I will ever stop doing it," I replied as I showed her an entry. My diary is full of entries about my previous contracts. I would jot down the various ways on how each contract could end. It's like preparation for the worst case scenario. I have to give credit to this unusual habit of mine. It did help me survive several close encounters with death back then.

"Would you be interested joining a game?" Deus asked as he focused his attention to me. "A game? What sort of game?" I curiously asked as I rested my chin on top of my fist." You'll like it. It's an interesting game. I take that you'll be a participant, yes?" He asked once more. Bah. I'll just go with his flow. After all, he's just imaginary. "Hmph. Alright. I'll tag along." I replied as I gave him a faint grin.

"You still don't have the initiative to decide on your own, Toshiro?" MurMur asked as she floated around me. "Not yet. I'm still getting used to my newly acquired freedom," I replied with a sigh. "Sooner or later, you have to make your own path, idiot," she stated as she messed my hair. "Tch. Soon, whatever, I don't know." I replied as I gave her a push. "H-hey! Stop that!" She cried as she floated away from me. "Hey, Deus, do I deserve to dream and hope for a brighter tomorrow? I mean after all I've done, after all the people that I have killed since I was ordered to?" I asked Deus. Deus ignored me and kept on tinkering with his contraptions. "That's a no, huh? Well, I'm already a dead-man," I stated as I gave out a sigh and closed my eyes.

As I reopened my eyes, I've already returned to my room. I'm back to this living hell of mine. I felt cold and tired. Hoping that I would return to my imaginary world, I rested my eyes once more. This time around, nothing appeared. The never ending darkness consumed me.

 _Are you contended with what you have right now?_

You know damn well that I'm not, Deus. How can I be satisfied with this kind of life? I already gave up my future and my dignity for something I didn't want. I feel empty. I feel like I'm living husk, waiting to wither away.

 _If given the chance, will you change your future?_

What are you talking about? I don't have any future. "I just want to know when my suffering will end," I replied as I faked a smile. I'm a complete masochist. Back when I was still doing contracts, the pain from my wounds and thrill of a fight to the death were my addiction. The times that I was almost killed were the times that I felt a sudden pleasure in my body. This is might be the thrill of hunt, a predator trait. By now, that's already gone. Hopefully. How can I live a normal and boring life if I have that inside me? Maybe, I just want to die in a fancy way. A death where everyone will love me for.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated, seems like I received a message. I opened my eyes and got my phone. What? I got a message from Deus? I got curious and opened the message.

 _This will decide your death and the deaths of the people around you. This is, the Death Diary. With this, you can finally embrace death, or stare into its eyes and consume it. The choice is yours, First. Welcome to the Survival Game._

"Something that will show my own death, eh?" I said to myself as I closed my phone. This is some weird trick you have here, Deus. I'll play along for a while. Let's see if this will entertain me. I placed my phone on top of my nightstand and lay down. Hm. Why does this scenario feel familiar? Like I've been caught in a scenario like this before? Is this déjà vu? First, huh? Tch. Whatever. As I blankly stared at the ceiling, I slowly fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

 _This will decide … this is, the Ran … Diary …_

 _The choice is yours … First …._

* * *

 **April 22 – 3:32am [Alley near Sakurami Condominium]  
** _A dead body was found by the police. A female in her early 20s. Was cornered and was slashed in her chest thrice. Suspect could have used a machete. No foul play could be observed._

My eyes were wide open as I read a diary entry in this Death Diary of mine. Huh? Did I jot this down while I was asleep? When did this pop out? Is this a prank? A scam? How can an imaginary being be capable of making something like a survival game come true? Tch. I'm overthinking things, but I did hear a static earlier. What the hell was that too? Did I left the television on last night? I'm sure I didn't. Am I losing my sanity? Ugh. I gave myself a good wake-up slap to shake off this sudden uneasiness and confusion. I can't lose my marbles now. I just started this normal life of mine. I don't want to forfeit this chance to actually try living normally.

After dressing up, I grabbed a slice of bread and hurriedly went out my unit. I locked the door and went straight to elevators. As I was walking near the condominium, I saw some policemen at a nearby alleyway. Hm. I might as well take a peek. My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to take a peek at the crime scene. To my surprise, it was the same thing written down in my diary. There was a corpse of a woman with huge slashes on her body. Creepy. It can't be true. It has to be a coincidence. Suddenly, I found a faint grin on my face.

After brushing off the sudden excitement in my mind, I continued my walk towards school. Tch. Why am I feeling excited? Do I miss putting my life on the line that much? Yare yare. Calm down, Toshiro. Forget about that survival game of sorts. Don't believe in that bulls-

 _ **BZZZZZZZZZZT!**_

The sudden noise coming from my phone caught my attention. Wait a minute. That's the same thing that I heard when I was still half-asleep earlier. Weird. I don't remember changing my ringtone. I quickly took out my phone and checked this Death diary of mine.

 **April 22 – 6:56am [Intersection near Sakurami Middle School]~  
** Gasai Yuno  
-Caught in a car accident and was fatally injured. The impact broke her back and made multiple puncture wounds in her lungs due to her broken ribs. She was killed on impact.

Ohh. Her name popped out. There's only one intersection that's near to the school's vicinity. This is probably the place, huh? Since the pedestrian sign was red, I took the time to look around. In a matter of seconds, I caught a glimpse of a pink-haired girl a few meters in front of me. I placed my phone inside my brown-leather shoulder bag as I fixated my eyes on her. Huh? 2 more minutes till 6:54am. If the diary or the survival game is real, she'll die within 2 minutes. Should I test it? Wait. What am I thinking? Am I that wicked now? Tch. How could I live a normal life if I have this mind-set of mine? As I shrug off my sudden dark thoughts, I suddenly heard the sudden sound of a car revving up. In the corner of my eye, I could see a speeding grey car accelerating towards the intersection. The pink-haired girl was busy looking at her phone that she didn't notice the vehicle accelerating towards her.

With one quick grab, I pulled Yuno out of harm's way. The speeding vehicle passed in front of us like a blur. I could hear the sudden remarks from the people around us as I brushed off the dust on her blue sailor uniform. "Geez. Don't read your phone while walking. That could've killed you." I remarked as I noticed her flustered cheeks. Her pink eyes were dead fixated on me. "Nohiru-kun …" Yuno mumbled as I neatly fixed her red ribbon. "Be careful next time, alright? Later." I said as I crossed the intersection, leaving her behind. That's it. The survival game is real. If I didn't move and pulled her back earlier, she would've been a bloody mess right now. No. This isn't enough. I have to test this diary of mine more …

* * *

Another day passed like a blur. Now I have this Death Diary of mine, I can keep myself occupied throughout the night. When I saved her earlier, Yuno's entry disappeared. It seems like if I do something that could prevent a person's death, the entry would disappear. Not to mention, there's a ton of unknown names that kept on popping in the entries. The entries were complete with the name of that person, the time and place, and the details of their death. The format of the entries are really that similar to ones in my previous diary. I turned on the television and watched the news. Some of the names in the entries were mentioned by the newscasters. With that answered, I turned off the television and closed my eyes. Time to pay my "imaginary" friends a visit.

The next moment, I was back in the Casualty Cathedral. As usual, the massive, mechanic-looking being that calls himself as the god of time and space, was busy with his unworldly contraptions while his little companion was nowhere to be found. "Oy. God of space of time. Could you explain what the hell is this survival game all about?" I asked as I sat down on top of my metal throne. "Ah, Toshiro! Welcome!" Deus welcomed me without averting gaze on his contraptions. "Yeah, yeah. So, care to answer my question? If I'm going to participate in this game, I need some answers, alright?" I asked once again as I crossed my legs and rested my chin on top of my fist. "You desired to control death, yes? Then, I gave you the power to govern death. You could save the people whose names are in the entries, but it depends on you." He replied as he averted his gaze towards me.

"I was talking about my death, but this works … wait. How many are the participants in the game?" I asked him. "As of now, the game haven't officially started. I'm still gathering the participants, but know that there are already active diary users out there." Deus replied as he curiously looked at me. "Diary users, huh. I see. Are there any strong opponents out there? You know, the type that could actually kill me." I asked as I took out my phone and checked the recent entries. "That's for you to find out, Toshiro. Keep your phone safe. If your phone is broken throughout the game, you'll die. To be frank, I'm surprised. I actually thought that you'll complain for me dragging you into this game." He remarked with a chuckle. "Well, I have to somehow feed my thirst for thrills you know. If I don't, I might actually do something drastic," I stated as I let out a chuckle of my own.

"That aside, I'm amazed that you're actually a real being, Deus. To think the god of space and time would reside inside my head. That's pretty bizarre, don't you think?" I said as I let out a yawn. "I am capable of doing these feats. I am a God after all. Don't worry. I won't stay here for long." Deus stated as he continued tinkering his contraptions. "Alright, alright. I'll take your word for it. Anyway, I'll see where this survival game goes. Later." I said as I slowly closed my eyes. When I reopened my eyes, I was back inside my apartment. It was already past midnight, huh? I took out my phone and checked the entries. Odd, the names that I saw earlier were gone. Hm. It seems like the entries change every day. Sooner or later, my own name will pop out in one of the entries. Heh. This is actually making me excited.

* * *

The next day, Yuno's name popped out once again. Geez. Is this girl attracting death that much? This time around, she'll be killed in a construction accident on her way home. Since saving her is actually giving me some thrill, I might as well keep her alive till something too drastic happens to her. After changing into my outdoor shoes, I then walked towards the gates. I rested my back against a wall as I waited patiently for the pink-haired girl to walk out of the lockers. If I could remember correctly, I left the classroom earlier than her. Hm. Let's just hope she wouldn't keep me wai-

 _Nohiru-kun?_

I felt a sudden tap on my shoulder. I quickly turned around. Behind me was Yuno, who had this big smile on her face. What is she so happy about? "A-Ah. Yeah? What's up?" I asked her. Wait. Why am I hesitating? I'm supposed to ask her if she could walk home with me today. Also, this is an experiment where if I do something that could change a person's decision, will that change their fate? "Nothing really. It's just odd to see you waiting here. Are you waiting for someone?" Yuno curiously asked. "Uh … no. I'm … okay, never mind. Hey, you free today?" I asked her as I shrugged off this awkward feeling inside me. I noticed a sudden gleam in her pink eyes as I asked her question. "W-Why? Uh … No! I'm free today!" She replied. "Ah. I see. Wanna go home toge-" "Yes! I would really love to go home with you!" She happily said as her sudden cheerful burst made me take a step back. Is she this upbeat? "A-Ah … alright. Let's go then." I said as we began walking away from school.

After a few minutes of walking, we reached the intersection near my place. While walking, Yuno was talking about all of matter of things. She's the chatty type, huh? "Ah. If we went straight here, we'll reach my place." Yuno said as she pointed towards the road with an on-going construction. That's the place, huh? "Wanna take a detour? Let's eat somewhere." I asked her as I took out my wallet. I still have some cash to spare. "Sure! Where do you wanna eat, Tos- I mean, Nohiru-kun?" She asked as I noticed her rosy cheeks. "Anywhere, I guess. I know this ramen place near Sakurami Condominiums. Wanna eat there?" I asked her. "Near your place? Sure!" She happily replied. "Wait. Wait a minute. I don't remember telling you my address." I remarked as her reply caught my interest. "A-Ah … I saw it once in the class directory." She said as I noticed a slight nervous tone in her voice. Is she lying? Does that mean that my hunch was right? Those times that I noticed someone following me, were true? Why the hell is she following me? Ugh. I'll just shrug this off.

 _ **BZZZZZZZZT!**_

Hm? A static? I quickly took out my phone and checked the entry. Oh. Her entry was erased. Guess by asking her out to eat ramen with me changed her future. Heh. That's a bizarre way to save her life. "Why is … everything so different …" Yuno faintly mumbled as she stared blankly at me. "Huh? Different?" I asked her as I placed my black smartphone away. "H-Huh? Ah … it's nothing! Nothing at all," She quickly replied as she ran towards my side. "Anyway, lead the way, Nohiru-kun!" She said as she smiled at me. "Uh. Right." I said as we began walking towards the ramen place. As we walked in an average pace, I can't help but to notice her whispering something to herself. Ugh. I can't hear it clearly.

After eating, we then took the long way to her place. After some walking, we finally reached the front gate of her house. "Here's my place! Uh … would you like to come in, Nohiru-kun?" Yuno asked as I brought out my phone. Hm. No more entries about her. She's safe for today. "Nah. I'll pass." I said as I turn my attention towards her. Suddenly, I noticed a slight tremble in her movements. It's like she's trying to stop herself from being too excited. As she noticed that I was staring at her, I noticed that she was lightly biting on her trembling lips. Ugh. What is she so excited about? She's acting really creepy. "You sure? You could … come in for some tea …" She muttered. "Yeah. I'll pass for today. See ya tomorrow." I said as I turned around and began walking towards home. What the hell is up with her? She's creeping me out. That aside, I should've asked her about that promise of some sorts that we made a year ago. Heh. I'll keep her alive till she answers me. Wait. What? Why am I thinking like that? Tch. Shake it off, Toshiro. I should really stop thinking about those things.

* * *

A week has passed ever since I began keeping Gasai, Yuno alive. For the past days, her name keeps on popping out in my diary. Is she really that unlucky? At most, her death would always be after school. By simply hanging out with her, I somehow managed to change her fate. It's weird, but if it's working, I might as well keep doing it. I mean I know that I won't be redeemed from my past crimes from doing this, but doing something good every now and then could greatly help my sanity. I can't afford to go crazy and return to my previous set of mind. After school, me and Yuno were changing into our outdoor shoes at the lockers. I suddenly remembered that I forgot a textbook inside the classroom. "Hey, Gasai. I'll go back to the classroom. I forgot something." I said. She simply gave me an affirmative nod in reply. After arriving in the room, I slowly walked towards my seat. Let's see, it has to be under my desk. As I pulled out a mathematics textbook from under my desk, I suddenly noticed something on top of Yuno's table.

Curious, I slowly made my way towards her table. If I could recall earlier, while having a test, Yuno was scolded by our homeroom adviser for molding a piece of clay while the test was still on-going. Hm. It looks … wait a minute. As I held the clay figure in my hand, I quickly recognized the familiar looking face in the figure. It was none other than Deus' assistant of some sorts, MurMur. Ah … I see. She's a diary user, huh? By now, Deus and MurMur would have made contact with the other diary users. I let out a deep breath as I collected my thoughts. So, if she's in the survival game, is she aiming to do something with me? It's a survival game after all, and based on some books that I've read about these kind of scenarios, it's a last man standing type of game. Is she planning to kill me? Is she capable of killing me?

 _ **BZZZZZZT!**_

A sudden static from my diary caught my attention. An entry, huh? I slowly brought my phone out. I felt a sudden feeling of excitement as I saw my own name in the recent entry.

 **April 28 – 18:25pm [Inside an unfinished building in Sakurami City]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-He was chased into an unfinished building in the city, and was eventually cornered by the serial killer. Fought bravely but a deep slash in his chest destroyed his chances of winning. He died due to heavy blood loss.  
 **DEAD END**

Hah. The recent serial killer, huh? I can feel the rush of excitement inside of my body as I held my diary firmly. Someone's going to kill me. I can get to fight someone who could actually end my life. This excitement, how I missed it. As a sudden grin appeared on face, I heard the back door of the room opening. I stood still as I heard the faint footsteps walking towards me. Somehow, I know who's this person is. "Heh. Followed me here, huh?" I said as I turned around and smile at the pink haired girl behind me.

"You were taking a while so I decided to follow you here." Yuno said with a grin as I noticed something different from her. Her aura is vastly different compared to earlier. Somehow, her aura mirrors mine. Pft. I see. She's just like me, huh? "Ah. Question. Are you the serial killer in the news?" I asked her as I placed the textbook and my bag aside. "Hm? Why would you think that?" She curiously asked. "Well, my own name popped out in my own diary. I thought you'd know, since you're a fellow diary user." I said with a snicker on my face. "Ah. You found out. You're really that smart, Nohiru-kun!" She happily said as she brought out her light blue flip-out phone. "Enough with this," I said as my sudden serious tone in my voice caught her attention. I pulled out a black cutter from my bag. "I'm asking you if you're my killer, Gasai. If so, be sure to give me a thrill." I said as I readied my blade. This will do. One slash on her neck artery will do it. It'll be messy though. In response, she suddenly ran towards me. I don't see any weapons in her hands, but I kept my guard up. As she entered my range, my body suddenly froze, like something from my mind stopped my body from stabbing her. Suddenly, I felt something soft on my lips.

For a few seconds, I stood still as her lips were connected to mine. Why … did she kiss me? As she withdraws herself from me, a notice a sudden gleam in her pink eyes. "You wouldn't do it. I know you wouldn't do something to harm me." Yuno said as she held my hand. "You were just lucky that my body froze. Tch. Now, could you answer my question?" I asked her as I gently touched my dry lips while I kept my gaze on her. "I saw it in my diary, the Toshiro Diary. A diary of love." She said with smile as she showed me her diary.

 **April 28 - 17:40  
** _Toshii found the sculpture I made earlier. He deducted that I'm a diary user too! Toshii is sure smart!_

 **April 28 - 17:50  
** _Toshii ignored my words and went towards the unfinished building. I have to stop him!_

 **April 28 - 18:00  
** _Toshii is hiding in a nearby fire-exit! Stop hiding from me, Toshii!_

Huh? It's all about me and the entries are within 10 minutes intervals. Wait. Who the hell is Toshii? Is that me? "Hm I see. But that doesn't answer if you're the serial killer or not. It says here that I'll die by the hands of the serial killer." I remarked as I brought out my phone and showed her my entry. "Geez. Do you really think I'm the killer, Toshii?" Yuno said with a disappointed pout. "Show me that you're not, and I'll put the cutter aside." I said as I took a step back away from her. Suddenly, I realized something. While having the test earlier, I felt a killing intent inside the classroom. Someone was staring me down with the intent to kill. That something I used to do when I've cornered my target before. That only person that I caught staring at me was … our homeroom adviser.

"Hiyama, Takou …" I muttered as placed my hand on my chin. "That's right! He's the serial killer! The Third!" Yuno exclaimed as she hands me back my phone. Hm. Is he like me? A psychopath trying to blend inside the society and live a normal life? Heh. I doubt it. That aside, it said in my entry that I'll die due to a deep slash. "Say, what are the weapons that could give me a deep slash?" I asked Yuno. "Hm. A knife? A machete perhaps?" Yuno replied. Hm. If it's a machete, is a box cutter enough to kill him? I left my old knife at home, should I go back and get it? Bah. That'll make things easier. The thrill of the hunt will be gone if I take that knife along. This cutter will do. "I see." I said as I placed my textbook inside my brown-leather bag. "A-Ah. Where are you going, Toshii?" Yuno asked as I began walking towards the door.

"To meet our homeroom adviser, of course. To get some life counselling of some sorts." I replied as I looked back at her. "Life counselling? What? Wait! You're going to fight him?!" Yuno frantically asked as she ran towards me. "Geez. It's not every day that I get to fight someone who's capable enough to kill me. Also, it doesn't concerns you, Gasai." I stated. "It does! I'm going with you!" She annoyingly said as she pulled onto one of my sleeves. "Tch. Back off. Don't get tangled up with my mess. I'll deal with this by myself." I said as brushed her off. "But-" "Pft. If you want to get hurt, then follow me. Just don't get in my way. I don't want you to spoil my thrill." I said as I began walking away from her.

* * *

I felt the afternoon breeze as I kicked the rooftop's door open. In the middle of the open rooftop was a figure with a machete in its hand. The person was wearing a black hat, a gas mask with a goggles, and a black trench coat. I could feel a killer's intent as he stared me down. "Ah. You're here." I said as me and Yuno enter the rooftop. "Toshii, this isn't a good idea!" Yuno frantically remarked as she tried to pull me back to the stairwell. "Geez. Have a little faith on me, Gasai. I could handle this. Anyway, could you drop the mask? It doesn't suit you, sensei." I said as I gave our adversary a smile. The man let out a surprised sound as he heard my final word. Slowly, he took off his black hat and his gas mask. "How did you found out, Nohiru?" Third asked as he angrily glared at me. "It takes a killer to know a fellow killer's aura. Now that I'm getting familiar with this survival game, I realized the three of us have the same aura." I replied as I took out my cutter. "Tch. I'll have to kill you two here." He said as he readied his machete. In response, I locked the door behind us. "Huh? How foolish. You locked your only way out." He said in confusion. "No, sensei. You see, you're locked up inside here ... with me." I said as I readied my reversed ice-pick grip and charge in.

 _ **BZZZZZZZZT!**_

The sudden static from our diaries gave me the opportunity to quickly close the gap within us. That machete of his would probably give me a hard time. He has a longer range than me, so I have to keep close with him. He narrowly evaded my slash as he took a step back. "Toshii! Watch out!" Yuno shouted as he cocks back his arm. Pft. I can't block his attacks with my cutter. That machete will cleanly chop this box cutter of mine like a hot knife slicing through butter. I quickly stepped to the side and evaded his slash. Before he could even react to my movement, I quickly tried to punch his body with my left fist. The moment my fist connected to his body, I felt something hard against my knuckles. He's using a body armor? "You're open!" Third shouted as he slashed horizontally towards me. I quickly ducked under harm's way and stabbed his right leg. He let out a painful grunt as I quickly stepped back.

 _ **BZZZZZZZZT!**_

Another static? To my surprise, Yuno charged in with a pipe in her hands. Tch. That recent entry might be hers. As the machete cleanly chops off the pipe that she was holding, I quickly pushed her back and grabbed onto Third's wrist. "Don't do anything drastic, Gasai!" I shouted as I kicked Third's shin and gave him a furious headbutt. The impact from my attack made me reel backwards. "I can't just stand here and watch, Toshii! I have to help you!" Yuno frantically shouted as I kept evading and dodging Third's slashes. "Stay still, will you!" Third furiously shouted. A narrowly evaded slash managed to slash off some of my black hair. I quickly landed a right elbow and stabbed his right hand with my cutter. As he shouted and groaned in pain while holding onto his hand, I withdrew myself from his range.

 _ **BZZZZZZZT!**_

"Phew. This is getting exciting, don't you think, sensei? Actually, I'm rather turned on right now." I said with a playful chuckle. "You sadistic brat … Don't get cocky!" Third mumbled as he tried to shrug off the pain from his wounded hand. "Say, Gasai. I know this might be too late to ask this but, are you my ally?" I asked Yuno as I took some deep breathes to calm myself. "Y-Yeah. Of course!" Yuno quickly replied. "Pft. I see. Anyway, if you are my ally, let me do the fighting, alright? With that diary of yours, keep me updated." I said as I took the chopped pipe from her hands. Ah. This will do. "But you have your diary …" She muttered. "I don't like looking at my entry. It'll be cheating. Bah. Whatever." I replied as I let out sigh. Third let out a furious roar as he charged in towards us. I could feel the excitement of the hunt as we traded blows. I keep dodging his slashes but some of his punches are hitting their marks. With one overhead slash that I evaded, he left himself wide open. I quickly stabbed his remaining arm with the chopped pipe. The pipe was sharp enough to penetrate through his arm. He let out a loud and painful shout as he feel onto his knees.

"Ah. The hunt is over." I said as I wiped away his blood from my cutter. "Y-You … who the hell are you?!" Third furiously asked me as his red hair matched the crimson liquid coming out from his wounds. "Hm? Nohiru, Toshiro of class 2-A. Actually, have you heard the name Mors or Thanatos before?" I asked him as him as I reopened the lock of the rooftop's door. "T-Thanatos … the fabled killer in the underground society …?" He mumbled. "Bingo. That's right, sensei. That was my title," I said as I picked up his phone. "Hey, Gasai. What would happen if I snap his diary?" I asked Yuno, who was caught surprised from my sudden actions. Pft. It's not every day someone gets to see the fabled young assassin back in action. Ah. My thirst for blood and thrill is sated, well for now I guess. "A-Ah … He'll die?" Yuno replied. "N-No … wait!" Third painfully said as he tried to stop me.

 _ **SNAP!**_

"Ah! Too late, sensei." I remarked as I gave him a devilishly smile. As the parts of his diary fell onto the floor, a black vortex came out behind him. He painfully groaned as the vortex sucked him in. In a matter of seconds, the vortex completely swallowed him and disappeared without a trace. No evidence at all, huh? I picked up the remains of his broken diary and placed it inside my pocket. This could serve as my prize for winning today. "Phew. That was a good hunt." I said as I inspected my wounds and bruises. "You made me worry, Toshii." Yuno said as she walked towards me and used her handkerchief to wipe away the blood coming from my nose. I let out a sigh as she smiled at me. Seriously. This girl just saw me kill a person, but she's acting normal? She's one creepy stalker. Well, I have her as my ally for now. "Wanna eat in that ramen place again, Toshii?" She asked. Feeling a bit famished, I might as well take up her offer. "Hm. Sure thing." I replied.

* * *

 _Now all the participants are here, we shall now officially start the survival game!_

I stood on top of one of the twelve pedestals in Deus' realm, which surrounded the god of time and space. My clothes changed into something similar to what I used to wear back when I was working for my father, which was a black hoodie, black cargo pants, and black military-grade boots. As far as I can see, there's one silhouette on each pedestal. Their faces are well silhouetted so I can't really say who I am going up against. That aside, one pedestal was empty. Hmph. Well, I killed one participant before coming to this urgent meeting of course. That would be Third's, if he was still here.

"As you all may know, this is a survival game! It will be down to the last person standing! Your lives rest on your diaries! Track one another and destroy your opponent's diary! The last person standing will receive my title, the title of God!" Deus exclaimed with some weird hand gestures. God? Heh. Not interested in that title. I'm more interested in fighting these guys. "How does this Future Diary work?" The man on the 10th pedestal asked Deus. "It is quite simple. Each of you has a different future diary. Corresponding to your diary's special feature, you could see your future in different ways. Now, if you do something that will alter the entries in your diaries, you are basically changing your fate," Deus explained.

That's odd. If I heard Deus correctly, our diaries should be about ourselves, but for me and Yuno, it's about the people and around me, and about me, respectively. I'm pretty sure that there'll be times that our names will pop out in our own diary, but most the times, the entries is about other people, well in my case. In Yuno's case, her entries will be all about me. Should I ask Deus? Nah. That's pretty stupid. By asking him right now, I would bluntly proclaim Yuno and my diary's abilities to our opponents. I'm not idiotic enough to bluntly proclaim my ability in front of my enemies.

"Today, we have witnessed a miracle! First, you should have died earlier, but you managed to pull out an ace from your sleeve and cheated death once more! Due to that, you're my favorite in winning this survival game!" Deus proudly exclaimed as the attention of other players shifted to me. I felt their gaze piercing right through me. "Well, it wasn't my single effort that took out Third. If Second didn't come along, I'm pretty sure I would have died back there." I stated as I looked on the pedestal next to me, where Yuno stood. Even though she's well silhouetted, I felt her smile as she looked at me. What an odd girl. "Actually, you had everything under control, First." Yuno said with a chuckle. Playful banter in front of our enemies, huh?

"This discussion is adjourned! Go and fight!" Deus ordered. Before anyone could speak after Deus' order, I suddenly let out a cough to get their attention. "Alright. I'll be frank with my words. I've heard from Deus that you guys are capable of killing me. I just want to point out that if you are that capable, be sure to give me a run for my money. If this ended in a one-sided match, it'll be a tad boring, don't you think?" I proudly stated as I gave each one of them a glare. I could feel some of them matching my own aura as I felt some of their glares. Ah. Judging from their respective auras, some of them are not really capable of fighting. One by one, the players vanished, but before they vanished, each of them had a statement for me.

"You sure are cocky, First! Just like a villain! You are a worthy adversary in the game!" The odd-looking man on the 12th pedestal gleefully stated.

"Heh. I'll wipe that grin of yours with your own blood. You cannot stop me." the stern-looking man on the 11th pedestal proudly proclaimed.

"I'll see if I could meet your expectations, First," the classy-looking man on the 10th pedestal said as he bowed.

"Hah. Cocky, aren't ya? Well see if you could really back up your words, punk." the aggressive-looking woman on the 9th pedestal stated.

"Goodluck, First!" The short woman on the 8th pedestal stated.

"Huh? Are you crazy? You're really looking forward to your death? Heh. I'll be sure to beat some sense into you." The tall man with the pompadour on the 7th pedestal stated as he taunted me.

"You look quite unfazed. I find you quite interesting," the young woman on the 6th pedestal gracefully stated.

"We'll play soon, big bro!" The young kid on the 5th pedestal cheerfully stated.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you," the sharp looking man on the 4th pedestal calmly proclaimed.

As all of them vanished, I reappeared inside the Casualty Chamber. I found myself letting out a yawn as the meeting ended. Oh well. Back to the old life that I had. The old life that I tried to run away from me. Heh. After all of those things that I've done just to get past that shit, I just can't get away from it, huh? Back then, I was doing it for my employer, and now, I'll kill once again just to live another day. Heh. Alright then. I don't mind dying, but I want to go out in style.

 _Don't worry, Toshii._

I heard a sudden familiar voice behind me. I slowly turned my head to see Yuno staring at me with an intoxicated look in her face. She placed her hands on the sides of her face and gave out a soft excited moan. Even though there's a purple fog clouding my vision, I could clearly see the redness of her cheeks as her pink eyes were fixated on me. "Huh? What's wrong with you?" I asked her as I slowly approached her. "Yuno, will protect you …" Yuno stated as she let out another soft excited moan. In reply, I flicked my finger onto her forehead. "Ouch! What's that for?" She asked with confusion in her voice as she gently rubbed her forehead. "You're my ally, right? I have a track-record for keeping my allies alive during a contract and I don't want anything to break that record of mine. It's my pride." I replied as I placed my hand on top of her head. "W-What are you talking about, Toshii …" She asked once again as I brought my face closer to hers. "I'll do the protecting. You watch my back, alright? Yuno?" I said as I gave her smile, which resulted to her blushing more. "Y-Yeah … alright, Toshii." She mumbled as I felt a sudden jolt as she placed her arms behind my head.

The Casualty Cathedral was silent. There was nothing inside but the two of us. Is this act really needed to gain her trust? To make sure she's my ally and she wouldn't betray me? I don't know, but I could feel something triggering inside of me as her lips were pressed onto mine. Heh. With her by my side, I might actually enjoy this survival game.

Now, let's see how I'll die.


	3. An Explosive Battle

Within the span of a week, my life spiraled back to the past life that I've tried to run away from. By participating in this survival game that the God of space and time made, I'm back in this dog-eat-dog world. Well, it was good till it lasted. Maybe, I'm taking that kind of life for granted, but I can't run away from this one. To think I'm back to square one. Maybe, I'm really fated to this kind of life. Aside from that, my very first ally in this game is my stalker, Gasai, Yuno. She's the same girl who left me hanging a year ago. What a turn of events, huh. I'm a bit hesitant of fully trusting her since her diary is all about me. I do wonder. Can her diary see through my thoughts, or in my future actions only? Bah, never mind. Since she's my ally for now, I might as well keep her alive. It's much interesting if I keep her alive for now.

* * *

 _Yuk …_

 _Be my ally, Yuno …_

 _My name is Minen …_

 _Your flag is up! First!_

* * *

The sudden vibration from my phone woke me up. My dark room was faintly lighted up with my phone's screen. I sluggishly sat up and checked my phone. Huh? Did I fell asleep earlier? I recall going straight home after school. Hm. It is 0400am in the morning. I woke up earlier than usual. Odd. My dreams are quite hazy recently. Back then, I could remember every detail of my dreams. Now, it's full of static and gritty images and voices. I sluggishly reached out for my phone. Right, this was vibrating earlier. Ah. My stalker was mailing me. I quickly noticed the large number of messages she sent while I was asleep. I remember now. I was exchanging mails with her when I fell asleep.

 _Are you asleep, Toshii?_

 _Toshii, let's talk a bit more!_

 _Toshii! Don't sleep yet ..._

Tch. Clingy, huh? I do wonder why. Why is her diary all about me? A diary somehow represents its user. My Death Diary represents my attachment to death and how I was well prepared in making choices when it comes to my contracts. So, what does the Toshiro Diary represents? Does she love me? So far, we've kissed twice now. Are those nothing to her? What an odd girl. My first kiss was taken away by that girl. Should I be happy for that? Pft. Beats me. It's unhealthy to think about these things early at the morning. Time to get ready for school then.

* * *

The noon bell rang loud into my ears. It's already lunch time? I didn't notice that I fell asleep during our morning classes. Not to mention, a substitute teacher came in since our homeroom teacher was out. I do wonder why he is missing. Maybe, he got into a fight with a fabled young assassin and was sucked into a black hole when his diary was snapped? Beats me. I can't help to faintly laugh as those thoughts when into my mind. It's really been a while since I killed someone. It's probably a year and a half since my hands bathed in that crimson liquid. Hm. Time to eat lunch then. I sluggishly stood up. As I took a sandwich out from my bag, I noticed my pink-haired ally who was preparing her things for her PE class. I might as well ask her if she wants to eat lunch with me.

"Hey, Gasai. You busy?" I asked her as my sudden question surprised the girls beside her. Well, it's unusual for me talk to someone inside the classroom and to think I'm talking to the most popular girl inside the room, I can't blame them for being surprised. "G-Gasai? You were calling me by my first name last night." Yuno annoyingly said as she gives me a pout. "Uh … Okay. Yuno. Are you busy?" I asked her once again as I began unwrapping the plastic off my sandwich. "Not really, but I have to get ready for our PE class later. What's up?" She replied me as she stood up with her small bag in her hands. "Oh, right. Well, I was about to ask you to eat lunch with me, but never mind." I replied as I let out a sigh and walked back to my seat. "A-Ah … we could eat lunch together!" She suddenly cried out as she ran towards me. "No. You go ahead. Besides, your friends are waiting for you." I said as I sat down and pointed at the girls that were beside her earlier. "But … you're mor-" "Treat me something later." I said as I looked away and began eating my sandwich. In response, she gave me a faint smile and went ahead with her friends. Two days ago, she helped me kill our homeroom advisory, who was the recent serial killer in the news. To think she could act normally and live like it didn't happen. Maybe, it wasn't her first kill? I'll probably find out sooner or later.

After a while, I noticed that I was left all alone in the room. I leaned my back onto my chair as I continued eating my sandwich. As I stared blankly outside, a sudden knock in the door caught my attention. By the door was a girl who had this fluffy purple hair; which were tied into side pigtails, and was wearing a white lolita outfit. She was average in height, and maybe a few inches shorter than me. "Excuse me, but is Hiriyama-sensei around?" She asked as she entered the room. "No. He's absent today. You need something?" I asked her as I let out a yawn.

"Oh? Is that so?" She asked as she approached the teacher's table. Hm. Somewhat, I could faintly sense an aura coming from her. I still can't decipher whether she's dangerous or not. "You need something from him? You could go to the faculty room you know." I said as I took out my phone. No recent entries, huh? From what I've observed, when two diary users fight one another, their future constantly changes. For an example, during my fight with the Third, my phone was buzzing like crazy. When I defeated Third and checked my entries, all of my possible deaths were listed down. As long a diary user changes their fate, a static would come out from their diary. Well, in my case, at the click of midnight, a static would come out from my diary. That's the only time my diary would let out a static. From what I've checked earlier, I still don't have a death flag.

"Not really. Hey. Have you heard? Hiriyama, Takao was the serial killer in those recent cases." She stated as she slowly walked towards me. The moment I heard her words, I quickly realized that she's a diary user. Does she know I'm a diary user, or maybe, she's trying to creep me out and check my response? I have to play it cool then. As long there wouldn't be a static coming out from my phone, she wouldn't know that I'm a diary user. "Really? Where did you hear that?" I asked her as I kept my gaze in her. "Rumors. He was the serial killer, and also the Third diary owner. His diary was the Murder Diary." She replied as she sat down on top of a nearby table. Murder Diary, huh? Guess he wasn't able to pick up that I would be the one doing the murdering at that time. "A diary? Wait. A grown man like him had a diary?" I asked her. Ugh. Acting dumb is making me sick. Her eyes are onto me. I can't get my cutter like this.

"Uh … yeah. A diary …" She said as she curiously looked at me. Hah. I'm actually fooling her. I just have to keep this up until I get an opportunity to take out my cutter. "Anyway, since you're looking for him, want to swap mail addresses?" I asked as I finished eating my sandwich. "Uh … what?" She asked with a confused look on her face. "I mean, I could mail you his address later once I get it. So, how about it?" I asked her with a fake smile on my face. "U-Uh … I'll pass on that one." She replied as I noticed a disgusted look on her face. As I watched her made her way towards the door, I slowly took out my cutter. "You sure about that?" I asked her as I readied my blade under my desk. "Yeah. Thanks anyway." She replied. Before she could even exit the room, the sudden noise from our diaries caught our attention.

 _ **BZZZZZT!**_

Tch. As she slowly turned her head to face me, I quickly kicked my desk towards her. Though my desk didn't even reach her, it gave me the opportunity to run towards her. "So you were a diary user all along!" She exclaimed as she ducked under my slash. "Tch. I almost had it!" I shouted as she neatly evaded my slashes. She's pretty fast. "Ah! I got you now, First!" She shouted as she brought out a small device. The device quickly caught my attention as I realized it was a detonator. Tch. She had bombs all along, huh? That's why I could faintly smell some gunpowder when she walked in.

 _Toshiii!_

Yuno's sudden appearance caught me off guard. She charged in with a fire extinguisher in her hand, but our adversary easily evaded her attacks. "Your flag is up, First! I'll give you the death that you're seeking for! Prepare to die under my hands, the Ninth! I am Uryuu, Minene!" Ninth shouted as she jumped out of the open window. The moment she jumped out, I quickly readied my blade and was about to jump out, but Yuno suddenly grabbed onto my wrist. She quickly pushed me towards the hallway and pushed me down onto the floor. Before I could even ask her what she was trying to do, the sudden smell of gunpowder and fire mixing together caught my attention. As I realized our current situation, I quickly flipped Yuno over and covered her with my body.

 _ **BOOOOOOM!**_

The heat slowly subsided as I opened my eyes. I could feel a slight tremble in my body as Yuno frantically looked at me. "T-Toshi … why … you changed it again …" Yuno frantically muttered as she placed her shaking hand on my face. "Changed what? Never mind that. You okay?" I asked her as she brushed off the dust on my clothes. "Y-Yeah, but are you injured Toshii?! Does it hurt anywhere?" She asked as I sat down in front of her. "Nah. Luckily, the blast didn't reached us. If so, I would have been killed. Heh. I know I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, but she doesn't have to take it seriously." I replied as Yuno began inspecting me for any wounds. "Why … are you doing this? I'm supposed to protect you …" She frantically asked as I noticed her worried tone. Is she really that worried about me?

"Didn't I told you before? I'll do the protecting around here. Perhaps, you want to fight alongside with me?" I replied as I brushed off some dust from her PE uniform. "I want to. I want to fight alongside you," Yuno eagerly stated. "I don't want to sit around while you put your life on the line for me!" She frantically said as she held my face with her hands. "Aren't you worrying a bit too much? Heh. Just don't go dying on me, you hear?" I said with a chuckle. "Yeah. Toshii …" She said as she brings her lips closer to mine. "Uh … what is it?" I asked her as I felt the redness of my cheeks. Why is she so close to me? "I'll protect you, Toshii. No matter what happens, I'll protect you. I'll do anything for you, Toshii …" She stated as she locked her arms around my neck and hugged me. Hm. She's really that determined to fight alongside with me, huh? I might as well see if she could actually fight. "Guess we'll be protecting each other …" I said as I let out a sigh. "Yeah. We'll protect each other." She whispered as she pressed her lips onto mine. Once again, I found myself noticing how tender her lips were. As our lips were connected on one another, I felt her hands gently caressing my hair while I firmly held onto her hips.

After a short while, we withdraw ourselves from one another. "Uh. Yeah. Scenario at hand," I said as I quickly brushed off this giddy feeling inside of me. "We're going up against Uryuu, Minene, the Ninth diary user. I've heard about her before. My former informant was the one who managed to smuggle her inside the country. She's a Japanese terrorist that was quite famous in the Middle-East. Her usage of bombs is superb. At this point, the whole school is a minefield." I stated as I brought out my diary to check the recent entries. Hm. The names of dead students and teachers filled my entry. What a sudden death for them, huh? As I turned my attention towards Yuno, I noticed how red her cheeks were and based on her looks, she's a nervous wreck. "H-Hey. You okay?" I asked her. "A-Ah …! Y-Yeah … it's just … I'm a bit embarrassed …" She meekly replied. "Embarrassed? About the kiss? Don't mind it. We have a resourceful bomb expert as our opponent. We better move." I remarked as I gave her a gentle pat on the head.

Before we reached the stairwell, Yuno called my attention. "Wait, Toshii." Yuno said as she picks up a piece of glass and used it to scope out Ninth's exact location. "She's pretty noisy, don't you think?" I asked her as Ninth's voice echoed through her megaphone. "She's in the courtyard. It seems like the other students are trapped in their classrooms in the other building." She said as placed the shard down. "Hm. Should I check my diary for our entries?" I asked her as I brought out my diary. "What? Of course! Take this seriously, Toshii! Unlike your fight with the Third, which was a direct fight, we're already trapped inside the building with her bombs! Do you want to go out this way?" She annoyingly replied as she pinched my check. "Ouch! Okay, okay. Geez. No need to scold me." I said as I painfully rubbed onto my cheek.

 **May 2 12:30 [Sakurami Middle School]  
** _Nohiru, Toshiro  
_ -He lost his legs as an explosion triggered when he tried to use the stairs  
-A bomb detonated near his position as he sneaked through the hallway with Second. He died due to 3rd degree burns  
-A bomb exploded in classroom 2-C. The flames scorched his face. He eventually died to his burns  
-He was blasted by an explosion while he was going down the rubble  
-He stepped on a mine and lost his legs  
-He couldn't stop Ninth in time and died when Ninth triggered all the explosives she planted in the school  
 **DEAD END**

"Toshii?" Yuno said as she tries to get my attention. "Hm. As of now, I have six scenarios that could kill me. Lucky you since you don't have a single entry. Also, though there's no given data, there's a time limit in this one. It looks like I have to stop Ninth before she decides to blow the entire school sky high. Tch. Talk about a bombastic scenario." I replied as I let out a sigh. Suddenly, Yuno covered her mouth as she tries not to laugh over my unintended pun. "W-What?" I asked her. "S-Sorry. I couldn't help it when you said a pun." Yuno replied as she finally calms down. "Uh. I didn't mean it. I swear. I have this problem that whenever I talk to a person, there are times that I'd say a pun or two though I'm trying to be serious," I remarked. "Anyway. The stairs is a no go. There's a shit ton of bombs by the classroom 2-C. We could gamble and try to descend through an opening. We shou-"

 _ **BOOOOM!**_

The sudden explosion at the end of the hallway startled us. Shit. We better move. The next explosions were getting nearer. I quickly grabbed onto Yuno's hand and sprinted towards the other end of the hallway. "T-Toshii?! Why are we-" "Shut it and keep running! We need to reach a place where we could properly plan our way out of this mess!" I shouted as we took a sharp right towards the middle wing of the school. Since I've dealt with bombs before, I could pinpoint the possible places where a bomb could be placed. From one explosion to another, we managed to somehow evade an explosive death.

After some time of sprinting and hiding, we reached a room where a bomb already detonated. The room was filled with corpses and debris. The smell of brunt flesh lingered in my nose as we slowly made our way in the middle of the room. I noticed that Yuno was covering her nose with a handkerchief as we entered the room. So she's not used to the smell of a brunt corpse, huh? "Lay low. We need to come up with a plan." I whispered as I leaned my back against the ruined chalkboard. "Can we even reach her?" Yuno asked as she took her time in catching her breath. "Do you have any idea what kind of bombs she used?" I asked Yuno as I began drawing a small diagram of our current scenario. "Uh … bombs? Explosive ones?" She replied with a confused tone. Ugh. She's not that familiar with explosives. "Okay. Never mind. Based on what we experienced in the past minutes, she planted a shit ton of C2 explosives. In the underground society, we also call them as plastic explosives. Those kind of bombs can be formed into any shape. Also, some of those bombs remotely detonated when we went past them. That means she's using motion-sensors or laser-tripwires to detonate those bad boys." I stated as I continued to draw in front of her. "If she managed to lay those traps throughout the hallways, how can we reach her in the courtyard?" Yuno asked as she listened attentively.

Hm. If we're planning to reach the courtyard, we have to somehow evade Ninth's traps. What if one of us becomes a distraction and the other one tries to take down Ninth? Actually, that could work, but who's going to be the distraction? "Since I have the most experience in these kinds of scenarios, I could pull off a distraction that can keep Ninth occupied." I stated. "Distraction? What are you planning, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she curiously looked at me.

 _Okay, you brats! Within 10 minutes, I'll blow this place sky high! If you don't want to end up dead, bring out Nohiru, Toshiro and give him to me!_

"That's the answer. She wants me, right? Then I'll give her the avatar of Death myself. Now, to find a ribbon so that I could look presentable." I replied with a chuckle. "But that's too risky, Toshii! What if she manages to see through your distraction?!" Yuno frantically asked. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. In case that happens, I'll come up with a plan. If not, I'll be waiting for your orders, so use your Toshiro diary," I replied as my eyes kept looking around inside the destroyed room. "Also, I noticed some lumps in the courtyard when we sprinted across the hallways. Those are probably mines, which means I can't really get close to her. The one who'll deliver the final blow will be you," I said as I pointed at a hallway. "That hallway has motion-sensor bombs. The other students are probably holed up at the third floor, leaving the rooms in that hallway empty or already destroyed from her bombs. Even so, keep your guard up. Once I reached the courtyard and gave you the signal, run as fast as you can towards the stairwell at the end. There might be some people outside the rooms since Ninth began this manhunt for me. Evade them, and let the bombs take care of them. There's a window there where you could jump out to. From what I remembered, there's some shrubs below to break your fall." I stated as I showed Yuno an elaborate diagram of our plan. "What if the bombs at the 3rd level somehow detonated?" She asked once more. "Their lives are not our priority. Our priority to fend off or kill Ninth. If we somehow managed to save them, then, good for them." I replied. As Yuno heard my reply, I could notice a faint smile on her face that quickly vanished.

"Sounds good to me, Toshii!" Yuno cheerfully said as she picked up a shard of glass. "Hey. Drop that. Pick up one once you safely landed by the shrubs. You could injure yourself with that." I ordered as I let out a deep breath. "Ah … alright. What's the signal, Toshii? Also, how are you planning to go down there?" She asked as she drops the shard and positions herself near the ruined door. The signal? Hm. I need to something that will get Ninth's attention. Hm. What can I do? Should I shout something? As I was busy trying to come up with a distinct signal for Yuno, I suddenly remembered a fictional character from a manga that I've read. My ex-informant has this manga and western books collection back in the unit. From time to time, I read something from his collection. There was this one character that managed to spark my interest. A serial killer who was trying to blend in inside the society and live out a peaceful life. If you exclude his hand fetish and his cat-looking manifestation of his power, somehow, I'm like him. A killer who only wants a quiet life. Ugh. The bombs managed to remind me of him at this scenario.

"When I shout Killer Queen, that's the time you'll sprint through the corridor." I stated as I approached a broken window. "W-What? Killer … Queen?" Yuno asked with a confused look on her face as I dropped my cutter at the shrubs directly below the window. "It's something you should read. If I managed to survive this mess, we're going to have an overnight. I'll bring some manga for you to read. Anyway, ready?" I replied as I readied myself. "But how are yo-" "The same thing that I told you to do. Heh. Stay alive, will ya?" I stated with a smile as I jumped down. I heard a faint grasp from Yuno as the shrubs broke my fall. After dusting off some twigs and branches, I carefully made my way towards the courtyard. By the front gates, I saw a middle-aged man with black hair walking towards Ninth. Who the hell is this fellow? The police vehicles outside quickly answered my question. Ah. The police are here, of course.

"Stop this right now, Ninth! I'm the one you're looking for, right?!" The man shouted as he pulls out his orange phone. "Ha. You finally came out, Fourth! Good thing you realized that you're my actual target! You and your pesky Investigation Diary!" Ninth shouted with a snicker on her face. Another diary user, and the Investigation Diary? Tch. A detective as a diary user? Oh joy. Anyway, time to get this show on the road. Since there's a minefield stopping me from reaching Ninth, I have no choice to try to take her out from mid-range. The only option that I have is to throw this cutter of mine towards her. I'm pretty confident with my knife-throwing skills, but the range could affect the outcome. Tch. I just need to come up with a back-up plan if this fails. Hopefully, Yuno could pull off our surprise attack.

"Ehem. Ninth? Hello? Neglecting me? That actually hurts, you know." I shouted as I walked towards the courtyard with my hands in the air. "What?! You?! How did you … how were you able to go down without me knowing?!" Ninth frantically asked with a shocked expression on her face. "Well, this detective right here gave me enough time to slip past by the traps you laid out." I replied with a snicker of my own. I need to agitate her, to make her think that I'm smart enough to foil her traps. That way, her attention will be focused on me. "Hey, kid. What the hell are you doing here?" Fourth asked me. "Nohiru, Toshiro. 2nd year middle school student. Also known as the First." I replied as I felt the intense glare coming from Ninth. Suddenly, Ninth began laughing hysterically. "This is good! I never knew that this could happen! Alright. Fourth! I have a preposition for you!" Ninth shouted as she tries so hard to stop herself from laughing. "If I comply, will you stop this bombing?" Fourth quickly asked. "I will! You have my word! I'll stop, but in return, kill First and commit suicide! In that way, I could take the both of you out!" Ninth replied with a sinister grin on her face.

"Ah. I knew it." I muttered as I began looking towards Yuno, who had this frantic expression on her face. Well, things are not yet so dire. We can still proceed with our original plan. As I heard the hammer of a revolver being pulled back behind me, I let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry. I really have to." Fourth painfully muttered. Ugh. At most, I don't want to die by the hands of the same people that I used to kill before. "Geez. Old man, at least let me do a magic trick before you pull the trigger." I said as I gave him a piercing glare. "A magic … trick …?" He muttered as Ninth watches us from afar. "Hey, Ninth! How about this. What if, I somehow managed to find those C2s that you planted and re-armed them for my cause?" I asked Ninth. "What the hell are you talking about? They're still showing in my console." Ninth replied with an unfazed look on her face. "So? That doesn't mean that I couldn't pull the trigger on them. How about I demonstrate? Free of charge, of course," I said as I positioned my hand like I'm holding onto an imaginary detonator. "Killer Queen! Detonate!" I shouted as I caught a glimpse of a pink-haired girl dashing towards the hallway.

 _ **BOOOOOOM!**_

 _ **BZZZZZT!**_

"What?!" Ninth frantically shouted as the sudden explosions behind her caught her attention. "Geezer! Shoot her! Now!" I shouted as I began sprinting towards Ninth. "Wha-" "Don't waste this chance, damn it! Shoot her!" I angrily shouted as I felt my heart racing as I reach the edge of the minefield. Though I could see the lumps on the ground, I really can't tell whether it has a mine or not. As I slowly made my way through the minefield, Fourth began shooting at Ninth with his revolver. Ninth narrowly evaded every bullet as she snaps out from her surprised state. "Tsh! I don't know how you did it, but one thing's for sure! I'll blow you up!" Ninth angrily shouted as she readied herself to press her detonator.

 _Toshiiiii!_

Suddenly, a pink-haired girl with a damaged PE uniform leapt towards Ninth. Ninth, once again, narrowly evaded her stabs as I reached the middle portion of the minefield. "Kid, I'm out of ammo!" Fourth shouted. "I know, geezer!" I frantically shouted as I kept my eyes on the ground. Yuno let out a painful groan as Ninth somehow manages to fend her off. Shit. That's it for my plan. As Ninth readies herself once again to press the detonator, I quickly pulled out my blade. I let out a loud roar as I threw the blade with all of my might towards her. At this point, my blade could land on her diary. Come o-

 _Aaaaaargggggh!_

Ninth's painful roar echoed throughout the courtyard. At the last second, she managed to evade my blade but it somehow managed to graze her left eyeball horizontally. Her blood spewed out from her eye as she tries to cover her fatal wound. Her detonating device fell flat on the ground as Fourth slowly made his way towards her with handcuffs in his hand. Guess the geezer's going to arrest her, huh? Tch. Why not kill her already? If I have enough strength right now, I would have killed that terrorist. I'll pass that action to that cop for now. I then made my way towards Yuno, who was still on the ground. "You okay? You did good." I said as I inspected her wounds and bruises. "Yeah. Sorry if my surprise attack was a failure, Toshii …" Yuno mumbled as I took off my white long sleeves and wrapped it around her. "Don't be. We somehow managed to defeat her though we were caught inside her trap from the start. That feat alone is enough to make me proud. Guess we'll be having an overnight then." I remarked with a smile as I gently patted her head. Hm. Good thing I have this creepy stalker of mine as my ally. I could say that she could really pull her own weight in a fight.

 _Don't underestimate meeee!_

Ninth's sudden uproar and a cloud of smokescreen caught our attention. Suddenly, the sound of a revving engine echoed throughout the courtyard. To our surprise, Ninth came out from the smokescreen riding a motorcycle, which is probably her getaway vehicle. "You can't take me down! You just got lucky today! My Escape Diary will never fail me!" Ninth shouted as we watched her accelerate away. In a matter of seconds, she escaped our clutches. Tch. I should have finished her off. "You guys okay?" Fourth asked as he made his way towards us. "Yep. Still alive and kicking." I replied as I helped Yuno stand up. "Anyway, can we the three of us have a talk? I have a preposition for the two of you." He said with a smile.

* * *

The setting sun illuminated the destroyed room as we sat here in front of the detective. "So, what do you want, old man?" I asked the detective as I sat down beside Yuno. "Old man? I'm not that old, kiddo," Fourth replied with an annoyed tone. "Anyway, I'm here to ask for your cooperation. I don't intend to participate in this death game. I don't have any intentions to be a God." He said. "Well, we can't run away from this one, am I right? So how do you intend not to participate?" I asked him as I noticed Yuno, who was busy with her diary. "Well, I'm a detective and I'm a part of the police. I intend to arrest the participants and stop them from killing each other," He said as he slowly made his way towards us.

"I plan to make an allegiance in between us. In that way, we could stop any further bloodshed in this survival game." Fourth said as he reaches out his hand towards me. Tch. Talk about boring. "So you plan to convince the both of us to side with you?" I asked him as I carefully looked at him. Based on his aura and actions, he's utterly honest with us. That aside, I don't trust him. Also, I don't like the idea of stopping the bloodshed in this game. How the hell am I supposed to seek my death if we're going to stop everyone from killing one another? "Yes. That's is why I brought you here." He replied. If I refuse his offer, there's a possibility that he'll be a tenacious adversary in the future. Tch. It looks like I have to cooperate with him for now. As long he wouldn't get in my way, I'll probably won't cut him down. Well, sooner or later, I'll fight him. I might as well research on his weaknesses and get any advantage I could get.

"Interesting. A detective as an ally. Hm. Before I shake that hand of yours, can you give us a guarantee that you wouldn't betray us?" I asked him as I kept my gaze on him. "Hm. At most, I can ensure your safety from other diary users. If a dead end would pop up in your entries, I'll do my best to help you two to erase it." Fourth replied. Tsk. Typical. "I just hope you'll be true to your word, old man." He said as I shook his hand firmly. "Don't worry about that, kiddo. Anyway, introductions. I'm Kurusu, Keigo. I'm the Fourth diary user." He said as he did the same.

 _ **BZZZZT!**_

 _No way … Tomorrow?!_

Yuno's sudden nervous uproar and a static coming from her phone caught our attention. "Tomorrow? Uh. Right. She's Gasai, Yuno. The Second diary user. Anyway, Yuno? You okay? Did your diary pick something up?" I asked as Yuno nervously held onto her diary as I noticed her quick glances on me. "N-nothing! Nothing at all, Toshii …!" Yuno nervously replied as she held onto my white long sleeves. "Uh. Is she your girlfriend of some sorts?" Kurusu asked. "Nope. She's my ally. Nothing more than that." I replied as we watched Yuno's cheeks turn to bright red. "Hm. Alright. The name for our allig-" "No names, please. We don't need something like that." I sternly said. "Anyway, the meeting is adjourned. I look forward working with you!" Kurusu stated as he gave me a pat on my shoulder. I gave him a fake smile as he went outside of the room. "Come on. I'll give you kids a ride home." He said as I approached my blushing pink-haired ally. "You heard him. Let's go. We got a free ride home." I said as I gave her a pat on her shoulder, to which resulted to a sudden girlish squeal from her. Tch. What's up with her?


	4. Accepting her Crimes

I could hear the faint sound of something dripping on a cemented floor. My body's heavy. It's like something is holding me on the ground. No matter how hard I tried to move my limbs, to no avail, I wasn't moving at all.

I slowly opened my eyes. Ah, I see. The world was monochromatic. Everything was black and white. I shouldn't be alarmed. Well, for me, it was always like this in my dream world. Everything is either good or evil. White represents the good people in this society while the black represents the trash and the scums of the earth. The only thing that separates the two colours is the colour of crimson red. If a person from the white side spills the crimson red from a person, does that make him an evil person? If a person who was brought up to become a weapon, does that make him a naturally evil? To be honest, I find myself in the opposite side of white. I am a scum of this earth. I've killed people and I felt no remorse for my actions. My guilt … well, I did something to cope up with that.

While walking in this monochromatic dream of mine, an apparition suddenly appeared beside me. A figure that is distinctively looks like me. The only difference in between us are the length of his hair and the horizontal scar on his neck. "Yo, landlord. Having a walk? Being too caught up in your philosophy and monologue, huh?" He said with a smile on his face as he walks beside me. This person is an imaginary individual that I've made to deal with the guilt that I felt during my life as a young assassin. Whenever I killed before, he steps in and does that deed for me. It's like a split-personality of some sorts, but soon, he became somewhat like my companion as I've grown accustomed carrying this kind of guilt.

"Maybe the both. I've caught up in another mess, huh, Shaco?" I replied as I let out a sigh. I named him Shaco, a name that came from the word 'Chaos'. "Yep. Pretty much. Well, that makes our lives a bit more exciting." Shaco replied as he lets out a chuckle. As we walked in this monochromatic streets inside my dream, we ended up walking towards a graveyard. The same graveyard that I've made up in my mind when I started killing people. This is the place where I bury those people in my mind. "Looks like I have to start digging up more graves here then." Shaco said with a sigh as we entered the ominous graveyard. "What are you? A grave-keeper?" I asked with a chuckle. "Hey. I get bored too. At least I'll have something to do here." He replied as he picked up a spade and began digging in a vacant lot.

As Shaco began digging a hole, I suddenly froze. It's the same feeling that I felt when this dream began. On my feet, I could see hands coming out from the ground. It's like their dragging me down towards them. The hands of the damned, or the people that I've killed, are haunting me once again. "Oh? They're back? Watch out, landlord. I don't want to dig you out from the ground again." Shaco said as he watched me from afar. Slowly, my body sank into ground. The lower body was completely submerged as the hands kept dragging me down. "Tch. You're not even resisting …" Shaco commented. "Hey. It's just a dream." I remarked. Suddenly, a bright colour caught my attention. A feminine figure suddenly walked up towards me. Her pink hair caught my attention. What the hell is she doing in my dream? "Yuno …" Shaco muttered as the female figure reached out for me. The moment that I grabbed onto her arms, the hands vanished without trace. "What a bizarre girl, huh?" I asked Shaco as the Yuno in my dream gave me a sweet smile. "Y-Yeah …" He mumbled as the girl suddenly hugged one of my arms.

"Too bad in the end, I'll probably end up killing her." I stated as I closely watched the pink-haired girl nuzzle he cheek onto my arm. To my surprise, Shaco fell silent. "You alright?" I asked him. "Could you wake up right now? I … I'm feeling a bit … wrathful right now …" Shaco muttered as a felt a tremendous killing intent coming from him. "Woah. Chill out, edgy apparition of mine. Did she tick you off or something?" I asked him. Though he didn't reply, his vicious aura was the one who responded to my question. "Tch. Alright, alright. Simmer down. I'll talk to you again soon." I replied as I shut down my consciousness. Guess time to wake up then. Oh yeah. I have to go to the police station to talk to that geezer. As I slowly vanished from my dream world, I heard something that caught my attention.

 _It's already 4 years since you killed me … huh …_

* * *

I could feel the piercing stares coming from the policemen inside the station as I and Yuno followed Kurusu's assistant, Nishijima, Masumi. "Why are they looking at you like that, Toshii?" Yuno whispered as she also noticed the stares. Well, I think they could somehow feel the aura that I have; an aura of a killer. Well, mine's more prominent compared to Yuno's. Somehow, she could hide her aura with this normal-girl facade of hers. "Beats me." I replied as I continued to follow Nishijima. "Hm? Are you feeling uneasy, Nohiru-kun?" Nishijima asked. "Well, the police force is rather, welcoming. I could feel their stares piercing through my back." I replied with a chuckle. "A-Ah. Please, don't mind it. We don't usually let people this deep in the station. Oh. Here we are," He remarked as we reached the door leading to the conference room. "The chief will see you now." He said as he opened the door.

Inside was the Fourth diary user. He was patiently sitting in front of the whiteboard as he welcomed us with a smile. "Yo. Welcome. Take a seat." Kurusu said as we entered the room. As his assistant closed the door, we sat down in front of Kurusu. "So, what shall we talk about, chief?" I asked him as I placed my hands inside my pants' pockets and leaned my back against my seat. I noticed the pink-haired girl beside me was staring at me. Is she looking at my clothes? "What? Do I look decent with my casual clothes?" I asked her. "Y-yeah … charming …" Yuno replied as she sweetly looked at me. "Tch. Whatever." I said as I brushed off her sudden comment. "Er. You guys done?" Kurusu asked. "Uh. Yeah. Go ahead." I replied.

"First off, we'll discuss how we can lower the casualty rate of this survival game. If we can, we shouldn't let the innocent get tangled up in our current situation. Second, we have to find out who are the remaining seven diary owners," he explained as he stood up and approached the whiteboard. "The only users that we know as of now are, Nohiru Toshiro, the First; Gasai Yuno, the Second; Takao, Hiyama, the late Third; and Minene, Uryuu, the Ninth who's on the run at the moment," he explained as he pointed out at the pictures of us that were presented on the whiteboard. "A deadly game of hide-and-seek, huh? Pretty exciting, if you ask me." I commented with a sarcastic tone in my voice. "Uh. Yeah. Something like that. Anyway, I need you and Gasai to be near the station's premises today. If ever Ninth or someone else plans to attack, we wouldn't want to be in a disadvantageous situation. Don't worry. We'll give you two protection. Anyway, here, take this." He said as he approached us and handed us two tickets.

"Er. Don't you think Ninth wouldn't even try do something? She has a fatal injury after all." I asked as I took the tickets from his hands. Huh? Tickets for the nearby amusement park? What the hell is this? "Just in case someone does try to make a move. At least you'll be near the station." Kurusu replied. "But, an amusement park? Of all the places, why here?" I asked him once again. "Well, it's the closest place here in the station that the two of you could stay. Come on! Think of it as an opportunity to know your partner better! The tickets are free!" He said with a chuckle as he gave me a pat on my shoulder. I gave Yuno a quick glance. She was blushing heavily as we made eye contact with each other. "You want to go?" I asked her. "Y-Yeah! I want to go with you, Toshii!" Yuno replied with an upbeat tone in her voice. Ugh. She's in to it. "Yare yare. Alright. We'll take it since it's free. I'll update you if ever something do happens." I said with a sigh.

"Alright. You two have fun. Enjoy your youth! Anyway, I'll have to go now. I have a meeting with some officials, so you know what to do." Kurusu said as he waved us goodbye then ran off outside the room. "Looks like he's in a hurry, huh …" I commented as I slowly stood up. "Don't you want … to go to the amusement park with me, Toshii?" Yuno nervously asked with a saddened tone in her voice. "Hm? I never said that. It's just that I haven't been in an amusement park for like 11 years. My last visit in one was with my … mother." I replied as she stood up and went beside me. "Are you sure? You might find me annoying … after all ..." She frantically muttered. Geez. She thinking too much.

My sudden action caught her off-guard. I suddenly leaned in and stole a quick kiss from her. "T-Toshii …" Yuno mumbled as she gently touches her lips. Her cheeks went bright red as her eyes were fixated on my lips. "You think too much. Here. Take the tickets. I'm not that good in carrying these kind of things," I said as I turned around and began walking towards the door. "Also, that's just simply a payback since you stole my first kiss. Come on. If we dally here, the park will get too crowded." I said as I looked back at her. "Y-Yeah! Let's go, Toshii!" She said as she ran towards me with a big sweet smile on her face. With one simple kiss, she's back to her normal cheerful self. Somehow, I could feel a slight sense of giddiness inside of me as we walked out of the station. What the hell is this? It was just a kiss. Why do I feel this way?

* * *

By 1:30pm, we arrived at the amusement park. Yuno cheerfully dragged me around to the rides. From the roller coaster to the spinning tea cups, we rode one ride to another. As Yuno went to a stall to get some ice cream, I sat down in one of the resting areas. As I stared blankly into the sky, memories started to flood my mind. Memories when I was still a young kid. If I remember correctly, the last time I went inside an amusement park was 11 years ago. I was with my mother and my step-father that time. That was 2 days before the accident. That was the last good memory I had before I was thrown into this dark world. That was the last bit of my childhood.

"Toshii! Quick! Quick! It'll melt!" Yuno said as she ran towards me holding two cones of vanilla ice cream. "Slow down, you might trip," I said as I took one and proceeded to lick it. "Quick! I wanna ride that roller coaster next!" Yuno cheerfully said as she pointed out the big roller coaster near us. "Aren't you too hasty? Hm. The geezer also told us that this a chance to get closer together, so how about we talk about some things?" I said as I gave her a nudge to sit down beside me. "Ah. Sure! So … um. What do you want to talk about, Toshii?" She asked as she sat down beside me with her vanilla ice cream in her hands.

"Let's see … I don't really know what to ask since this is my first time to actually ask someone's interests. Hm. Let's start up with something common. What's your favourite colour?" I asked her as I continued eating my ice cream. "Hm. I think its pink, black, or red! How about you, Toshii?" Yuno replied with a smile on her face. "Uh. White? Though, I hate wearing something white whenever … never mind. What's your favourite kind of sweets?" I asked her. "Chocolates!" She happily replied. "Ah. I see. Guess we're the same …" I said as I let out a forced chuckle. Tch. This isn't going anywhere. "Er. Are you okay, Toshii?" She asked as she noticed my tense vibe.

"Hey, Yuno. Can I tell you something? I mean, as an ally of mine, I want to be as clean as possible to you, since I want you to trust me." I said as I finished eating my ice cream. "I already trust you, silly, but go ahead!" Yuno replied as she readies herself to attentively listen to me. "Hm. Let's see. What will you do if you found out that the guy that you're stalkin- I mean, following was a famed young assassin?" I asked her. "I'll still follow him no matter what." She replied with an unfazed look on her eyes. "Tch. Seriously? Uh. Alright. You see … I lost my mother and my step-father when I was 5 years old. For a year, I stayed inside an orphanage. Then, out of the blue, a man calling himself as the brother of my biological father took me in. For 8 years, I was under his care. He made me do … well, heinous acts. He molded me into a living weapon," I stated as I stared blankly at the blue sky. "I … killed a lot of men under his commands. Man nor woman, young nor adult, I didn't give a damn. These hands of mine, the same hands that you wish to hold onto … are tainted with their blood. Do you still … want to chase me still though I'm like this? A psycho who's trying to move on wi-"

 _Don't be, silly, Toshii. No matter what was your previous sins were, I'll still chase you._

Yuno's sudden words caught me off guard. Why? Why is she so eager to chase me around? Is she that just creepy? As Yuno finishes her ice cream, I slowly stood up and stretched my arms. "You really are a weird girl, Yuno." I said with a chuckle. "What's so weird for accepting who you are, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a smile. "Beats me. But, hey. Thank you. It's the first time I've heard those words from someone … you could say, it's special to me," I stated with a smile of my own. This is actually my first smile on face; a true genuine smile. "Phew. I feel refreshed! Anyway, let's get going, shall we?" I asked her as I reached out for her hand. "Sure thing, Toshii!" Yuno happily said as she quickly grabbed onto my hand.

After getting freaked out inside a haunted house, we sat down in snack kiosk to rest. As Yuno went to the counter to get our snacks, I sat idly on my seat. I caught myself staring at my pink-haired companion. Why … do I feel giddy whenever she's with me? I never felt something like this before. The only times that I actually enjoy something is when I'm hunting someone down or killing somebody. "Love, huh …" I mumbled to myself. Is this … love? The giddy feeling inside of me whenever she smiles at me, whenever we're together, is this love? I never learned the concept of love. Besides this giddy feeling that I'm currently feeling right now, I'm pretty sure it's not only that. Maybe … Yuno could teach me how this thing goes?

"Here you go, Toshii!" Yuno said as she placed a tray on top of the table. She ordered a bubblegum soda and two sandwiches. To my surprise, there's only one glass with two straws, which means I must share with her. "Uh. Should I get another glass?" I asked Yuno as I took one of the sandwiches and began to eat it. "Nope! We're gonna share this! Come on, Toshii!" She cheerfully said as she budged me insisting me to drink the soda with her. It looks I don't have any other choice. "Alright. Thanks, Yuno." I said with a smile as I obliged to share the soda with her. As Yuno and I began drinking the soda, I realized that the amount of our soda wasn't changing at all. Not to mention, the liquid is a bit slimy for a regular soda.

I raised my straw out of curiosity. To my utter surprise, my straw was connected to Yuno's. "Uh. Yuno … what is this?" I asked her with a confused tone in my voice. Wait. I was … drinking her saliva? "What? You don't like it, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a sweet look in her eyes. "Uh … I don't know how to react to this … I mean, we've kissed before but … drinking your saliva? Er. Is this supposed to be romantic?" I replied. To my dismay, Yuno simply laughed at me. What a trickster. Well, at least she's enjoying herself.

After eating our snacks and playing around, we walked around the park once again. "Toshii! Over here!" Yuno shouted as she dragged me towards the water amusement park. As we entered the facility, we were welcomed by a sight full of people wearing swimsuits. The crowd is making me feel a bit uneasy. "I think this is a bad idea." I said to Yuno as we approached the counter. I talked to the staff member as Yuno picked our swimsuits. "It's not! Trust me!" Yuno replied as I paid the staff member. After waiting a few minutes, our swimsuits finally arrived. Yuno cheerfully dragged me towards the changing rooms. "No escaping, alright? I'll see you by the beach area!" Yuno cheerfully said as she merrily went inside the woman's changing area. "Yare yare." I muttered to myself as I entered the changing area.

Before changing into my swimsuit, I checked my diary for any updates. There's still nothing about us, Kurusu or Ninth. "A peaceful day for us, huh?" I said to myself as I opened my rented locker. I quickly changed into my swimsuit and placed my things inside the locker. From there, I went towards pool area. The inside of the water park is pretty big. Not to mention, the series of pools are pretty long too. There are a lot of people swimming around and having a good time. This isn't a sight I'm used to thanks to my uncle. I then stopped at the beach area, leaned back on one of the palm trees as I waited for Yuno.

 _Toshiii!_

That must be her. As I looked towards the direction of Yuno's voice, the next thing I saw caught me off guard. Yuno was running towards me. She was wearing a green two-piece bikini, which was obviously not her size. Her breasts bounced as she ran towards me. "Kept you waiting?" She asked as she hugged my arm. "Er. Not really. Uh. They're touching me …" I replied as I felt my cheeks getting red. Ugh. Why is she so clingy? Seconds passed, and I noticed that she was staring at me. "Is there something wrong?" I asked with a flushed look as I messed around with my hair to distract myself. "Nothing really. It's just that it's my first time to see you topless up close. I didn't know that you were that buff …" Yuno mumbled as I could clearly see her blushing.

Well, my body is pretty buff thanks to the training I had back then when I suffered. Not to mention, my body is filled with scars due to unpreparedness in some of my previous contracts. Though, my muscle mass isn't the big. Wait. Did she say up close? Was she checking me out back then? "Er. Were you … checking me out before?" I asked her. "Uh … maybe … anyway! Let's go, Toshii! Let's go!" She happily shouted as she quickly grabbed onto my wrist and dragged me towards the pool area.

Due to my request, we played around near one of the slides. "So, we take turns, right?" I asked Yuno as I comb back my black hair with my wet fingers. "Yeah! It's my turn next, Toshii!" Yuno happily replied as she slowly went up. "Hey. Don't be hasty. You might slip and crack your skull. You'll taint the pool with your blood." I remarked with a sarcastic tone in my voice. "Geez. Be sure to catch me once I slide down!" She said she went up the slide. After a few seconds, I could hear her voice calling out for me. "Ready, Toshii?" She shouted as she readies herself to slide down. "Ready when you are!" I shouted back as I readied myself in front of the slide. In a matter of seconds, I saw my pink-haired companion sliding down through the cylindrical slide. I narrowly caught her in my arms. Suddenly, my vision was blocked by something. Hm? What the hell? Something's covering my eyes. "That was fun!" She shouted as I felt two small bumps rubbing my chest. Wait a god damn minute. "Yuno … by chance … did you lose your top?" I asked her. "What are … Oh. D-Don't move!" She shouted as she quickly realized that her top was covering my eyes. I simply closed my eyes as she fixed her bikini. "Done?" I asked her. "Y-yeah … done …" She replied with an embarrassed tone in her voice. I can't help but to let out a chuckle as I watched her cheeks turn red.

After that crazy incident inside the water park, we walked around the amusement park once again. Since it was getting dark, we were looking for our final ride before heading back to the station. "Toshii! Look! A photo booth! Wanna take pictures?" Yuno cheerfully asked. The moment I saw the booth, I suddenly remembered the time when I used a booth such as that with my mother and step-father. Am I … ready to finally move on from that event in my life? Somehow, I felt that I'm still not ready. I don't want to be hasty. I have to acknowledge these emotions that I've bottled up. I have to properly let it out before I could actually move on. "I'm not yet that ready … Yuno. I'm still not used in making these happy memories. Perhaps, next time? The ferris wheel though. Want to ride that?" I asked as I pointed at the nearby ferris wheel. "Hm. Sure thing!" She replied with a smile on her face.

As we boarded one of the cabins, I can't help but to feel nervous since this is my first time to ride one. Isn't this a bit dangerous? What if one of the hinges loosen up and the cabin fell down onto the ground? I don't want to die like that. "You okay, Toshii?" Yuno, who was sitting in front of me, asked. "Er. Not that much. Sorry. I'm just thinking too much. It's my first time to ride a ferris wheel." I replied as I tried my best to relax myself. "Oh. Relax! You can't enjoy the ride like this!" She commented with a smile. In a matter of minutes, the cabin began to move. "Woah! I could see the entire Sakurami City from here!" She happily commented as the setting sun's rays glistened on her face. "Pretty, huh …" I muttered as I closely watched her expressions.

"Hey, Yuno. I want to ask something." I said as I tapped her shoulder. "Hm? What is it, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked. "Hm. Do you still remember our promise? Our promise a year ago?" I asked her. "Of course. How could I forget that? After all, it's our special promise to each other," She quickly replied as her reddish cheeks caught my attention. "I'll be your bride once we grow up, right?" She asked. I let out a sigh of relief after hearing her words. She actually remembers, huh? "And we'll make each other happy … seriously. I really thought you were just joking around. I thought you'll just be my friend. Pft. You never talked to me after that day." I said with an embarrassed smile on my face. "I … I get too nervous whenever you try to talk to me! I'm sorry that I made you feel that way … Toshii …" She said with a saddened tone in her voice. "Geez. Don't worry about it. Come here." I said as I nudged her to sit beside me. She quickly stood up and sat down beside me.

"Hey. Uh. How should I say this? I know I might be quite shallow, but please understand. This is my first time to feel like this ever. To feel this giddy, to feel this confused. I … I'm really happy that I made that promise with you, Yuno." I stated as I gently held onto Yuno's hand. "Toshii …" Yuno whispered as she stared at me with her gleaming pink eyes. "Is it okay … for me to stay by your side like this? I … never learned the concept of love. Is it okay … for you to teach me that? If I were to learn how to love, I want the first one that I'll love is … you." I asked as her eyes reflected my reddish cheeks. "Yeah … I'd love to teach you, Toshii …" She replied. Somehow, I didn't noticed that our lips were getting closer to one another. We slowly closed our eyes as our lips intertwined with one another. With every movement that our lips would make, I could feel a slight tremble in her soft and tender lips. I … want to learn how to cherish things.

I want to learn how to cherish this girl.

* * *

We held each other's hands as we walked on the pathway. I could see big smiles on our faces as we firmly held each other's hand. As I brought my phone out to update Kurusu, it suddenly started raining. "Crap, we should go home now." I said as I took off my jacket and covered Yuno with it. "Toshii! You'll get sick!" Yuno worryingly said as she tried to cover me also. "I'll be fine. Come on. I'll walk you home." I said. After fixing the jacket so it'll cover both of us, we made our way to Yuno's house. Minutes later, we arrived in front of their gates. "So, I'll be going now." I said as Yuno walked towards the covered portion of their gate. "Wait, Toshii! Since you're here and it's still raining, would you … like to come in?" She asked with a nervous tone in her voice. I could see her biting her lips and her body fidgeting as she waited for my response. Is she trying to entice me or something? Tch. I might as well bite. "Sure." I replied as I gave her a faint smile.

We entered her home. The inside of her house is pretty dusty and it's pretty dark too. Is their electricity down or something? Yuno escorted me towards the reception room. She made me sit down by the table in the middle of the room and gave me a towel. "Thank you." I said as I began drying my clothes. "Sorry if it's pretty dark, Toshii. Our electricity is cut at the moment," she said as she helped me dry my clothes. "It's okay, Yuno. Don't worry about it," I said with an assuring tone. "Okay! Wait here for a bit, Toshii. I'll just cut this apple!" She said as she took the apple from the middle of the table and left the room. An apple, huh? Well, I'm a bit hungry at the moment. I might as well wait for her.

I stared blankly into the darkness for a while. I wonder where's her parents? If what I've read in some manga and books were true, they should be interrogating me right now. Well, those are fictional things, but doesn't that normally happen? I mailed Kurusu about our current situation. Seconds passed, and I felt the inside of my ear tingling due to the silence. Should I go and help Yuno out? I don't even know where their kitchen is. I can suddenly smell something horrid coming from the hall. The hell is that? It smells horrible. I stood up and walked towards the hall. If my instincts are right, the smell is coming from the room beside the entrance hall. I slowly approached the room.

The walls of the room are pretty run down and have these wooden planks nailed to it. The heck is this? Does Yuno keep a savage animal inside their house? The smell seems somewhat familiar to me, but I can't exactly pinpoint what it is. Should I open the door? Something inside me is telling me not to open it, but my curiosity is at its peak. I don't want Yuno to live in this place with this putrid smell choking her. I should check it out. I opened the sliding door. The room was dark and the atmosphere was eerie. The foul smell was thicker than I imagined. I covered my nose as I slowly peeked inside the room. I couldn't see anything but darkness. I felt my phone suddenly getting warmer. I was about to get it from my pocket when lightning flashed from the windows of the room.

 _ **BZZZZZZT!**_

* * *

Meanwhile, inside a dark dusty kitchen …

The light coming from my phone's screen was enough for me to see the apple as I began peeling it with a knife. I couldn't help but to giggle as the thought of spending the night with Toshii enticed my thoughts. I don't know what happened, but our Happy End is supposed to be tonight. Shouldn't it be on July 28? I … don't really mind if Toshii would want me tonight. We'll be one again … and that's enough for me. I can't wait to hold him in my arms! "Ah … I shouldn't be excited, but … I'll feel him again … he'll whisper sweet things into my ear again … I just can't hold myself back …" I muttered myself as I diligently continued to peel the apple.

 _ **BZZZZZZT!**_

The sudden lightning startled me. I dropped the apple on the sink as some noise from my phone caught my attention. My Toshiro Diary … picked something up? What could it be?

 **June 4 - 19:20  
** _Toshii … found the room …_

The most recent entry left my eyes wide open. He … found it? Toshii … found the room? He saw it … He saw them! I … I have to stop him! I have to explain it to him! I frantically left the apple and began walking towards the room at a fast pace. I … have to stop him from going there. I still have time! I can't let him erase our happy end! It's … no. I'm too late …

* * *

Back in the eerie boarded up room, a black-haired teen stood still as his mind slowly processed the scene that he saw …

In that flash of lightning, I saw everything clearly. There was a cage in the middle of the room. There's no doubt that I saw two corpses inside that cage. One male, and one female. "What the hell …" I muttered to myself as I slowly entered the room. The moment I set my foot inside, I felt that I hit something. Beside my feet was another corpse. The lightning flashed again and a familiar blue sailor uniform caught my attention. Wait. This corpse beside me … is wearing that familiar uniform, Yuno's blue uniform. "Yuno …?" I mumbled as I kneeled down and began inspecting the body. The body is in a state of decay. From its appearance, I could say it's roughly a year since the body entered its current state. The maggots were done eating this corpse, leaving a husk of dead skin and some ignored tissues in the corpse. My mind's confused. This corpse … its Yuno's right? Was I … spending my time with a ghost? No, that can't be real. Then who is this? Who was I with earlier?

 _To think everything is going well …_

A sudden feminine voice from the darkness startled me. I heard her faint footsteps as she entered the room. I slowly turned around and saw Yuno with a knife on her hands. "Care to explain this to me?" I asked as I ignored the knife and continued inspecting the body. "Why did you open the door … Toshii …?" Yuno asked with a cold tone. "The horrid scent drew me towards the room. You could say my curiosity got the best of me. When you kill someone, be sure to dispose of the body, alright? If not, this happens," I replied as I shifted my attention towards the bodies inside of the cage. Judging from its bone structure, these bodies are probably at their mid-30s. "Are these your parents?" I asked her. Her deafening silence was her response.

I slowly stood back up and turned around. She's still not moving, but I could see her hands trembling. "Are you even … Gasai, Yuno?" I asked her. Surprisingly, I'm still calm and collected. Did this girl in front of me, kill these people? Did she … kill Yuno and took her life as her own? No … that's impossible. Her facial features, her body, her voice, everything she has is the same with the previous Gasai, Yuno that I met before, the one that I made a promise with. As I closely looked at her body's movements, I suddenly noticed her lips and her arms were shaking. Is she … afraid of something? Was she afraid that I would stumble onto this room? "What the hell happened here?" I asked her. She tries to say something, but she ends up swallowing her own words. Based on that frantic look on her, she's doing her best trying to respond to my questions, but she simply can't. "If you don't say anything, I'll walk away. Once I've done that, you will never earn my trust in the future. The next time we'll meet, is in the battlefield. I'll be sure to kill you then. So please. Cooperate with me." I stated as I tried my best to convince her to start talking.

"Please … don't do it … Toshii …" Yuno mumbled with a shaking tone. I slowly walked towards her and casted my diary aside. I sense no threat coming from her. She's probably holding that knife since she was peeling that apple earlier. Good thing I managed to keep my cool and decided to hear her explanation. To her utter surprise, I wrapped my arms around her. "Toshii …" She tearfully muttered. "Just drop the knife and let's talk, Yuno. I want to know everything. I won't cast you aside that easily, you know? I just … don't want to be kept in the dark." I said as I firmly held her in my arms. After hearing my words, Yuno let out a loud cry as she began crying uncontrollably. She kept on apologizing to me, though I don't recall her doing anything to me. As I held the crying pink-haired girl in my arms, I suddenly felt my eyes getting wet. Huh? Why am I ... crying? Where did this sudden ache in my heart come from?

* * *

 _Landlord._

Shaco's voice echoed in my head. In my mind, I began talking to him. "Hm? Uh. You're kinda ruining the mood here." I said with a sarcastic tone. "I … I think I know who she's apologizing to …" His voice replied with a shaking tone. "Hm? Let's hear it. I want to help her. At this rate, she'll never explain this scene to me." I said. "It's … it's for me. I'm … I'm y-" "Let me guess. You're me in a near future, or should I say, in an alternate timeline?" I asked with a chuckle. When I created Shaco a few years ago with the very figments of my mind, something felt off. This imaginary being that I created to carry my guilt for a time, felt too real. Like I was looking at myself in a more devastated state that I was. There were times that we were talking, then he'll have a sudden mood swing. He'll be furious, and he'll start shouting at me. I could remember some words that came from him at that time. He muttered "She killed me!" or "I'll make you fucking regret betraying me!" When I watched him in that blind-rage state, I somehow saw myself whenever I was blinded by my anger or bloodlust during those dark times. From that time, I began questioning my very own imagination. I began coming up with ideas that could somehow answer his identity. In the end, though it's quite far-fetch, I concluded that he was me, Nohiru, Toshiro, from another time. The horizontal scar of his is somehow connected to his pain and sorrow. Like he said, someone in that world, betrayed him and killed him. That shocked look on his face is probably enough for me to know that my idea was spot-on.

"You … h-how …" Shaco mumbled as he appeared in front of me and looked at me with a distressed look in his eyes. "Pft. We're the same person, idiot. We have the same thought process in our minds. Besides, when I made you, or should I say, when I made something to carry my guilt, you felt too real, that you we're not a simple split-personality that I came up with. I sensed myself … within you. Whenever I watched your movements during our short conversations, I felt like I was talking to a devastated version of myself." I stated with a faint smile. "You … pft. Nothing can really escape your eyes, huh? I guess … I really dulled down." He said as he tries to force a smile on his face. "So, Toshiro. Could you tell me what happen?" I asked him. "I … I want to … but I'll leave it to her. If she does miss something, I'll fill you in," He replied as he lets out a deep sigh. "If you want to help her, landlord, tell her that it's okay and I've come to terms with her actions. Tell her, I … or should I say, we ... we've already forgiven her. At first, I was really furious when she slashed me down. As time passed by, I slowly realized that she did that believing that she could bring me back. Her methods of keeping me with her at time were … rather too extreme. Well, you can't blame her. After the things we went through in that world, something inside her probably snapped." He stated as he slowly made his way towards me. "You really love her, huh?" I asked. "Yeah. I do, even until now. I … I'm leaving her care to you, alright, landlord? I'm not going away or anything, but I'll just have a rest in this mind of yours. Hopefully, by the time I wake up, everything wouldn't be in monochromatic colour. I kinda miss seeing things in colour, you know? It feels like I'm living in an old cartoon or something." He said with a big smile on his face. "Tsh. Leaving things to me, huh? Don't worry. I'll do my best and make her happy, Toshiro. Rest well." I stated as he slowly vanished.

* * *

As my sense of reality went back, I began caressing Yuno's pink hair in an effort to calm her down. Remembering the words from a certain person in my head earlier, I might as well convey the words that he'll never be able to express to her. "Shh. It's all okay now, Yuno. I've forgiven you." I whispered into her ear. "I didn't mean to, Toshii …! I thought I could bring you back! I'm so sorry!" Yuno cried out as the mixture of her tears and snot seeped through my shirt. "Geez. You're such a crybaby. It's alright. Let it all out. Toshii's here." I whispered once again as I kept her in my arms. As I watched her bawl out her pent-up emotions into my chest, I can't help but to feel how vulnerable she is. Though she showed that she's a capable fighter in the field who doesn't have any remorse for killing anyone who would dare to harm me, at the end of the day, she's a girl who's simply loves me deeply. Though her methods of keeping me safe from harm are rather, obsessive in some ways, she's only looking out for me. Well, at this case, she's deeply in love with the consciousness that's currently resting inside my head. Does she … actually love me? Does she love the Toshii that holding her right now?

After some time, Yuno eventually calmed down. "You alright?" I asked her as she gently withdrew herself from me. She simply nodded as she rubs her puffy eyes. "Good. Alright. I'll hear your explanation in another room. The smell inside this room is already suffocating." I said as I went out of the boarded room. As Yuno stepped out, I took another quick glance inside the room. I noticed some writing on the sliding door. 'Save me, Nohiru-k' It says. She probably wrote that down when this Yuno came along.

"Sorry if I wasn't there for you, Yuno." I muttered as we began walking towards the reception room. "Hm? You said something?" Yuno asked as she tries to mellow down the puffiness in her eyes. I simply ignored her and continued to follow her towards the reception room. As we arrived back in the room, I made her sit in front of me. After finding a match in a nearby drawer, I lit a candle in-between us. Though it's faint, the light coming from the candle was enough to let me see Yuno's face. "Alright, whenever you're ready." I said as I gave her a smile. I can't simply force her to explain what was inside that room. "Those bodies … were my … parents …" Yuno nervously said as she tries breathing with her clogged nose. "They were the ones in the cage, right?" I asked her. "Y-Yes …" She replied. "I see. I should've introduced myself," I commented with a sarcastic tone. Somehow, I saw a faint smile in Yuno's face. "Anyway, the third body. That was … hers, right? The girl that I've made a promise with?" I asked her once more. In reply, she simply nodded her head as I noticed a slight tremble in her hands.

"That body … was Gasai, Yuno. So, who are you?" I asked as I firmly held her hands as I kept my eye-contact with her. With this, I could at least give her a reassurance that I'll believe her. I'll probably will, since Shaco gave me a slight overview of our current scenario. Tch. This survival game is nothing but a mess. "I'm … Gasai, Yuno … from a different world. I … I went through the same survival game like we're going through right now. In the end of that game … I killed Toshii … or that world's Toshii, to be the God. I thought … it'll bring you back, but no matter how hard I try, or how many times I tried bringing you back, I just can't do it. I can't bring back your soul. I can bring back your body, but you never opened your eyes." Yuno replied with a shaken tone. "So, with your God powers, you went back in time?" I asked once more. "Y-Yes. After going back, I sealed my god powers and wiped away my memories. In that way, I could be with you again … but I have to kill her. I have to, since there could only be one of us here …" She replied with the same shaking tone. She's really trying her best to answer my questions, huh? Geez. I'm being too stern with her. It feels like I'm interrogating her. Well, at least I got the words that I wanted to hear. That explains everything. "How about your parents? Well, how about her parents that were locked up?" I asked her once more. This will probably my last question. "She … killed them. In my world, I killed my own too. It was me … who locked them up inside that cage. The-" As I noticed her eyes getting teary once again, I gave her a tap in her hands. "Geez. It's okay. You don't have to answer those things for now. I'll eventually ask those things again, but come on. Rest for a while." I stated as I gave her a warm smile.

 _ **BZZZZZZZZZZZT!**_

The sudden static from her diary caught her attention. As she quickly opens her blue flip-phone, I quickly noticed her cheeks turning red. "It's back … our happy end … it's back …" Yuno said with great relief in her voice. "Happy End?" I curiously asked. "It's the day, or should I say the moment, where we become together … we become as one …" She replied as she happily looked at the entry with some tears in her eyes. "Er. We become as one? You're talking about … sex right?" I asked her with a confused tone in my voice. She simply nodded in reply as she tries her best to control herself from crying even further. "I-I see … Alright. It be must really to you, huh." I commented. "It is. It is very important to me, Toshii. It's our special moment, of course!" She replied as she wipes away the tears in her eyes. When I heard her words, I suddenly felt a bit sad since she's pertaining to the Toshiro sleeping inside of me. She's really in love with you, huh, Shaco? I can easily kill her in any moment, but ... I guess I'll protect her while I can. I'm not doing this for you ... but I really want to learn how to cherish this girl. She's just like us in some ways. I can't help but to feel jealous. So the feelings that she was talking about, on how she loves me, is actually about her love for him, huh?

"What's wrong, Toshii? Are you okay? You're staring blankly at the table for a while now." She asked. "I-It's nothing … Yuno. Anyway, do you have a shovel?" I asked her as I quickly set aside these questions inside my head. I'll answer those things in another time. "A shovel? What for?" She curiously asked. "I'll dig graves for the bodies. In that way, no one will know what happened here. A dirty little secret between us." I said with a smirk on my face. "A-Ah … I don't really want to trouble you with that, Toshii …" She protested with a worried tone. "Geez. Don't worry about it. At least now, we both know each other's dark secrets. I guess we're really meant for each other. We're just two broken people after all. Anyway, come on. I'll dig the graves while you get a drink to help you get rid of that congested nose." I said as I sluggishly stood up and stretched my arms. "Alright … Toshii?" She said as she called my attention. "Yes?" I asked.

 _Thank you … Thank you for accepting me._


	5. Flirting with Death

I let out a deep breath as I finished digging graves for the three corpses. Luckily, the Gasai Residence has a huge garden that I could use. Ugh. The rain is making the ground soggy. Now then, time to bring out the bodies. I casted the shovel aside and went back to the boarded room. I made sure that I leave my mud-stained shoes outside. As I entered the room, I used my handkerchief as a makeshift mask as I prepared myself to carry the corpses. The moment I opened the cage, I can't help but to notice that the smell is somehow seeping through my handkerchief. "Damn. It reeks." I muttered to myself as I carefully brought out the two corpses. After placing each of them inside a garbage bag, I paused for a while to catch my breath. Heck, I might as well introduce myself. "Hey there, uh, Yuno's parents. I'm Nohiru, Toshiro, your daughter's ally in this death game. I'll take good care of her … until the moment comes where it's just the two us … so, pleased to meet you." I said with a bow. The hell am I doing? I'm getting too serious about this. Now, for the last corpse.

As I prepare a garbage bag for the last corpse, I can't help but to stare on her final message. 'Save me, Nohiru-ku' She really believed that I would somehow come around and save her, huh? I'm still wondering though. Why did Yuno kill her parents? What pushed that young girl to kill the people who took care of her? We're they treating her badly that she snapped? In that case, we're the same. After placing all of the corpses inside their respective garbage bag, I dragged them towards their graves. One by one, I gently lowered them in their respective graves. "Ugh. Should I dig deeper? Meh." I muttered as I noticed the graves were a bit shallow. After covering the graves, I let out a loud sigh as I stretched my arms. To be honest, this is the first time I buried someone. Usually back then, my contracts would end with me throwing their bodies in the ocean. After placing them inside a garbage bag, I'll place them inside a steel drum which will be filled with concrete. After that, I let the drum sink into the depths of the ocean.

As I took off my wet top, I heard the sound of a sliding door opening. I slowly turned around to see Yuno holding a towel in her arm. "Hey. You okay now?" I asked her as I casted the shovel aside and approached her. "Y-Yeah. My nose is still clogged though. You're done … burying them?" Yuno replied as she hands me the towel. "Yeah. Pretty tiring, but it's finally done. Wait. Don't come closer. I smell bad." I said as declined the towel. "Ah, you want a bath ready, Toshii?" She asked. "Hm. Alright. I can't go home smelling like a dead corpse. I might get a cold from this rain though," I replied as I stared blankly at the graves. "Hm. Hey, Yuno. Want to live in my place from now on?" I asked her as I brought out my diary to check if there's any change in the entries. "W-What? Live … with you?" She muttered as my words caught her surprised. "Well, yeah. It's much easier that way. Well, if you don't wa-" "I'll get my things ready!" She cried out as she ran towards the nearby sliding door. Well, someone's excited. "H-Hey, where's the bathroom!?" I shouted.

After taking a long bath, I finally managed to get rid of the putrid smell that was sticking on my body. Now then, I have to dispose of my clothes. As I went out of the bathroom, Yuno was waiting for me by the hallway. "Ah. Toshii! You need clothes, yes?" Yuno asked as she happily hands me some robes that I could use. "A yukata? Doesn't your pops have anything else? Like jeans?" I asked her as I took the robes from her hands. "Uh. You want me to look for one?" She asked as I noticed her blue duffle bag and some small bags beside her. "Nah. This will do, thanks. I'll dry myself up and we'll hit the road, okay? Make sure you lock the doors." I said as I went back inside the dark bathroom to put on the yukata. After some time adjusting and fixing the sash of the yukata, I finally got it to fit me. "Looks pretty okay, I think." I said to myself as I went out.

After some minutes of walking, we finally reached Sakurami Condominiums. As Yuno entered the unit, I took out my diary and mailed Kurusu. I told him that I went back to my place with Yuno. Ah. I have to call my guardian. "Make yourself at home. I only have one bed and there's no spare futon, so I'll be probably sharing the bed with you." I said as I opened the bedroom door, thus letting her inside the room. "A-Ah. Alright …" Yuno nervously muttered as I noticed her rosy cheeks. She's probably thinking about the Happy End thing, right? "Today's the day, right?" I asked her as I placed our wet umbrellas by the shoe rack. "Y-Yeah … I'll take a shower first, Toshii." She replied as she placed her bags beside my wardrobe. I gave her a nod and sat down on the couch. As Yuno entered the bathroom with some clothes in her hand, I dialed my guardian's number. After some rings, he finally picked up. "Ugh … what …." He sluggishly said. Oh. He must be sleeping, though it's just past 9 in the evening. "Uh. Were you sleeping?" I asked him. "No shit, Sherlock. So? Why did you call?" He annoyingly replied. "Uh. Right. Is it alright for a girl to stay in our place for a while?" I asked.

 _What?! There's a girl inside the unit?!_

His sudden uproar caught me off guard. His voice blasted through the speakers and somehow managed to annoy my eardrums. "Y-Yeah … she's a friend … of some sorts. I think? Heck, I'm not even sure." I replied. "What the hell? Did you just pick up some random girl at the street?" He asked with confusion in his voice. "N-No. She's my classmate and something happened at her home." I replied. "Uh. Geez. This is too sudden, but at least you made a friend or something." He commented. "Anyway, what's your verdict?" I asked him once more. "Hm. Just be responsible for her, will ya? Also, make sure her parents will not hound us down in the near future once they found out that she's staying in our place." He replied. Ah. He actually allowed me, huh? "That will not be a problem. Trust me. Anyway, thanks, Mist." I said with a faint smile on my face. With that, I ended the call. Hm. Should I cook something up? We haven't eaten dinner ever since that event in her place. I might as well cook something for her.

After dinner, me and Yuno sat idly in front of the television. Yuno washed the dishes while I fixed the table. "So, what now?" I asked her as my eyes were fixated in our reflection in the television. In reply, she simply tighten her hold on my hand. She gently nuzzled her head onto my shoulder. "You sure about this? I mean doing this thing early. Know that I don't have any experience, so uh … yeah." I muttered as I slowly felt my heart racing. Huh? Why do I feel so nervous about this? I mean, it's just … sex, right? I've seen some videos before, so why am I so riled up right now? Is that thought of me doing that thing with this pink-haired girl beside me is enough to make me feel this frantic, this giddy? Besides, we're fucking underage. Is it typical in our age right now to do these things? What the hell.

"Are you … nervous, Toshii?" Yuno asked me. "Uh … a bit?" I replied. "Sorry if it isn't my first time …" She muttered as she kept holding onto my hand sweetly. "Uh. Was he … rough with you? The Toshiro in your world." I asked her. I'm not going into this battle blindly. I … have to know her preferences. I have to know what turns her on and what she wants. "Uhm. At times? Most of the times, he was rather … romantic, but he's focused on the survival game too much." She meekly replied. Ugh. I can't help but to feel awkward right now. Why the hell did I asked that?

"Do you … feel anything for me, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a slight nervousness in her voice. To be honest, I'm not sure if I really feel anything for her. Maybe, this are the feelings that the previous Toshiro had when he appeared in my mind. It somehow carried over. Maybe, I'm slowly developing this kind of feelings for her, but I'm just rejecting it. "I'm … not sure. I'm experiencing these kinds of emotions for the first time in my life. Yeah, I get pleasure from killing people, but it never made me feel this giddy, frantic, or nervous," I replied as Yuno slowly made her way on top of me. "Before we do it, I want you to answer something." I said as I placed my hand on her reddish cheeks. "Yeah, Toshii?" She muttered as she slowly brings her lips towards me. "Do you … love me? The current me. Do yo-"

 _I love you. I love you more than anything._

Her sudden answer left me hanging for a response of my own. Somehow, I could feel how honest she was in her words. Her eyes were fixated at mine's. I could see the mixed look of longing and suffering in her eyes. I want to say something, I want to retort her words. I know she loves me for being the person that she fell in-love with in her previous world, but should I blatantly reject her feelings? "Don't you … believe me, Toshii ...?" Yuno asked with a shaking tone in her voice. I could see some tears forming in her eyes as I felt a slight tremble in her hands. As I carefully thought of something to say to this frantic girl, I felt this sudden aching in my heart. What the hell is this? I never felt something like this before. Wait. I did. The last time I felt something like this, was the time I saw my mother get eaten up by flames.

"Why … am I feeling like this?" I asked myself as I looked away from Yuno. I clasped onto my chest as a dire effort to stop the sudden aching from my heart. Why? Why do I feel this way for her?! She's just a girl that probably went through the same hell as me! "T-Toshii? Are you okay?" Yuno worryingly asked. "Please. Let me … think for a while." I said as I gently pushed her aside and stood up. I quickly went towards the balcony and locked the door behind me. "What the hell is this? What is this complicated feeling inside of me?" I asked myself as I pounded my fist onto the concrete railing. Damn it … this is probably his feelings overpowering mine. "Even with you, I can't catch a break, huh?" I muttered.

* * *

 _Why are you so upset, landlord?_

Of course I'm upset! What the fuck is this?! Why are your emotions taking ov-

 _Emotions? Pft. Landlord, as a memory lingering in your sub consciousness, my emotions can't connect with yours. What you're experiencing right now, is what I experienced before._

Shut up! I … don't want this!

 _We don't want to be attached on something since we're so fixated with death. Trust me, those emotions will help you get through a lot of things in the near future._

Why … why are you so soft?! We were a hard-boiled young assassin before! We killed before without giving a second thought on their lives!

 _Let me ask you, did you wanted that life?_

What are you … talking about?! Don't change topics!

 _I'm not. What I'm telling you is, you have to come to terms that you're like that right now since you had no choice back then. We became an assassin because we didn't had a choice. We were yearning for love and acknowledgement. That's why you chose to follow Uncle's orders around. We wan-_

Shut up! Enough of this, bullshit! I … I have to calm down. This isn't the way … my thought process should go.

 _Tsh. Soon, landlord. You'll understand how accepting this newfound emotions that were kept away from us will benefit you greatly. In Yuno's case …_

She loves you. She doesn't loves me.

 _Huh? Where the hell did that came from?_

It's true, isn't it?

 _Bah. Does it matter? We're the same person, landlord. Yeah, you're still in that phase I was in, but nevertheless, she loves you for who you are. She could give the love and acknowledgement that you yearn for. Just give her a chance, will ya?_

I'm like having your sloppy seconds, huh?

 _Seriously, stop thinking like that. She has you right now, and she needs you. That how relationships goes._

Whatever.

* * *

After calming myself down, I finally decided on how I shall handle this scenario. Like what Shaco said, I'm probably having a hard time right now since it's my first time to experience these kind of emotions ever since I was little. Do I really need to acknowledge these things? He told me that these emotions will help me get through some events in the near future. Letting out a sigh of defeat, I might as well try. It pains me to say this, but he made a point earlier. I might be a ruthless, thrill-seeking guy, but inside, I only yearn for love and acknowledgement. He really had to slap that truth in my face, huh?

"Soon, huh?" I muttered to myself. After taking a deep breath, I then went back in. Surprisingly, Yuno was nowhere to be found in the living area. Did she left? She probably thought that she was forcing herself into me. Well, in some way, yes. Why is that Happy End of hers so important? I know I have some carnal desires inside of me, but can't she contain hers? "Seriously, that girl." I muttered as I made my way to my room. As I opened the bedroom door, I found Yuno sitting on top of my bed. She was staring outside of the window as she wrapped herself with my blanket. "So you were here, huh?" I asked her as I sat down in my chair. "Yeah. Toshii, do you doubt me?" Yuno asked without looking in my direction. "I'll be honest. Yeah. I doubt that you love me, the current Toshiro. I have a feeling that you say you love me since I'm the same person that you loved greatly in the other world." I replied.

As she heard my reply, I noticed her posture became tense. "I-I see …" Yuno muttered with a pained tone. "Am I right?" I asked her as my eyes were fixated at her. After taking a deep breath, she then looked towards me. Surprisingly, what I saw in her eyes was different from before. There's still a slight look of longing in her eyes, but the sorrow was gone. Instead, it was replaced with this sudden determination. "I'll do whatever it takes to show you how much I love you." She stated as her eyes were fixated on me. "You do know that in the end, one of us must die, right?" I remarked. "I know … I-"

"Once you're done with me, are you planning to cast me aside? Like go back in time once again and be with another Toshiro?"

My sudden words stunned the pink-haired girl in front of me. I could see the look of regret and despair slowly showing in her eyes. "W-What are you … talking about?" Yuno mumbled as tears slowly formed in her eyes once again. Ugh. Am I being too mean? To stop her from breaking down once again, I held onto her shaking hands. "Shh. Calm down. I know … that sounded wrong, but please understand. I … For a change of pace, I'll try this thing between us. I'll try to grow accustomed to these emotions that were kept away inside of me," I said as I stood up and sat down beside her. "In return, I want this to be your final loop. No going back in time. This is what the previous Toshiro wanted for you. The longer you detach yourself from reality, the more miserable you'll become." I stated as I rested my forehead on hers.

"I-I won't do it again. I swear … please! Tr-" "To make sure you wouldn't, how about I make a promise with you?" I said as I gently caressed her cheek with my hand. Slowly, the pained expression on her face slowly subsided. I somehow managed to stop her from her breakdown with my words. "A promise?" Yuno muttered as I noticed the weariness in her eyes. "At the end of this Survival Game, I will end your suffering." I stated as I placed my hands on her cheeks and brought her face closer to me. "You'll kill me … Toshii?" She asked. To my utter surprise, it was like she really wants me to kill her in the end. Can't she bring herself to harm me like she did to the previous Toshiro? In reply, I simply gave her a smile.

* * *

My dark room was faintly lighted by the lights of the city. In one corner of my room were my files and folders, which were neatly stacked. In other was a mirror, which reflected our current image. To be honest, the image of me embracing a girl is a new thing for me. I never imagined myself to be in this situation. Perhaps, I'm simply doing this since I feel pity for her? That I could somewhat relate to this girl in between my arms right now, who went through the same amount of hell that I experienced? Why do I feel satisfied in this scenario? Why do I feel like I'm completely relaxed while her arms were embracing my neck? This warm feeling inside of me … does it have a proper name? I could ask myself these questions over and over again as our lips began to intertwine with another. It slowly escalated from a simple kiss to a somewhat passionate one as we began exchanging our saliva with our tongues.

I pushed her down onto my bed and opened the blanket that she was using to cover herself. To my surprise, she was only wearing her light blue undergarments underneath the blanket. "Uh, what happened to your clothes?" I asked her as I took some time to allow this image of Yuno barely clothed slowly sink in my mind. "I took it off earlier." Yuno replied with a giggle. As we locked our lips once again, she slowly began undressing me. I gave her neck some nibble and kisses as she flung my top beside my bed. We took a minute from our passionate kissing to catch our breath. Our eyes were fixated in each other's body. Yuno was gently caressing my chest downwards while my hand was gently tracing her collarbone downwards. I wetted my lips and went on the attack.

"This isn't actually my first time to see a naked body of a girl, Yuno." I remarked as I began kissing and licking her collarbone. "W-What? Toshii?!" Yuno muttered as she let out some faint sigh and moan while she was holding me from the back of my neck. "There was this one time, I killed this guy in a dark alley. Before I stumbled onto my target, he was having an affair with a hooker of sorts. After I was done killing him, I made sure I left no witnesses," I said as I used my breath to stimulate her neck. "No, actually, this is the first time I've seen the body of a woman that I'm interested in. Heh. I bet the previous Toshiro said these things too." I remarked as I began sucking and kissing her neck once again while my free hand gently took off her light blue bra. "A-Actually, he didn't. Also, we only did the deed once, Toshii." She commented. I can't help but to let out a chuckle as I withdraw myself from her.

The city lights illuminated Yuno's bare body in front of me. I can't help but to stare at her naked body as she bare her naked body in front of me. "May I?" I asked her as I spread her legs and leaned in towards her. "Y-Yes. Go ahead, Toshii." Yuno replied with a sweet smile on her face. After hearing her words, I locked my lips once again with her. After some passionate kisses, I slowly made my way downwards. Her bare breasts got my attention. Though she's young, her breasts were pretty supple and firm. I can't help but to smile as I gently held onto one. Just the right firmness for my taste. "Oh? You're feeling it?" I commented as I noticed her erected pinkish nipples. "W-Well, you're pretty – Ah!" Yuno cried out as my sudden action made her squeal abruptly. She let out some soft moans as I was busy caressing her inner thigh and sucking on one of her nipples.

After a while of pleasing her breasts, I withdraw myself and lie down beside her. Once again, we locked ourselves in a passionate kiss while my free hand kept on groping onto her breast. I could feel this intense heat inside of me as Yuno's hand slowly made its way downwards. As we took a breather from our kisses, I felt like I was about to erupt with this lust inside of me. Shit. My body wants her. No, I want her. I want to take her and make her mine. As I took off my jeans, Yuno gave me an enticing look that made me more excited. With that hazy look in her pink eyes, she bit her lips and spread her legs in front of me to see. The image of her showing me her most precious part of her body made my entire body rock hard. Her precious part was damp and I could smell her feminine scent coming from it. My blue eyes were fixated at her while my mouth was left wide open. I'm at lost for words. I want to say something … but I simply can't.

"Come, Toshii … Make love to me …." Yuno sweetly said as she reached out her arms towards me. I slowly went back towards her. As I slowly position myself on top of her, our eyes were in a deadlock with each other. Her rosy cheeks and the slight tremble in her lips whenever she felt my breath caught my attention. "You really are wet, huh?" I commented as she gently position my aching rod towards her wet entrance. "I'm yearning for this, Toshii … Ever since I went back, I wanted to do this with you. I wanted to be connected once again with you …" Yuno stated. "That's probably for the previous Toshiro, but I'll let it slide," I said as I prepared myself. "I'll make you mine." I whispered to her ear as I pushed my member inwards.

Yuno let out a groan as my member reached her deepest parts. As I slowly grew familiar to this bodily pleasure that I was feeling, I kept on the pressure on Yuno. My lips were locked onto hers as I began slowly thrusting inwards. As I pulled my member halfway out, Yuno would take a deep breath but the moment I thrust it back it, she would let out that same breath shakily. "T-Toshii … it feels good … Toshii …" Yuno whispered as she held onto my back. With every thrust I make, I could feel her legs shaking in pleasure. Her breathing became so erratic and filled with ecstasy that listening to her while she catches her breath and moans is enough to ridicule me and fill my mind with ecstasy and impure thoughts. I want to mess out of her.

Gradually, my thrusts became rougher. I kept my position on top of her steady as Yuno held onto the bed sheet firmly. The expression on her face was filled with ecstasy. My dark room was filled with her sweet moans. She kept on shouting and calling my name as I felt our bodies melting in passion. Suddenly, the moment I thrust my member a bit upwards, her body suddenly jerked back. It feels like I hit something that I shouldn't. "W-Wait. Yuno? You okay?" I worryingly asked her. "N-Not there … Toshii …," Yuno cried out as she tries her best to calm herself. "I'll go crazy if you keep hitting me there …" She mumbled as her shaking hand caressed my face. "Heh. Aren't you already crazy? Crazy in love with me?" I commented with a smirk as I disobeyed her plea.

With one quick motion, I made her go on all fours. The image of her bare naked with her female liquid oozing down from her precious spot burned into my mind. This is how much this girl wants me. In courtesy, I have to repay her in the same manner. With a quick thrust inwards, I felt my member knocking onto the same spot that she didn't want me to. She desperately tried to escape from my clutches, but my hands were holding her firm ass in its place. "T-Toshii!" Yuno cried out my name as I kept my relentless thrusts onto her spot. Though she tried her best to hide her face, the reflection in the mirror showed a good look on her lust filled face. Her tongue was out, her drool was dripping down, her breathing was shaking and erratic and her eyes were slowly arching backwards with every thrust I make. A sudden wave of pleasure and lust filled my mind. "Y-You're making … a mess of me … Toshii …!" She cried out once more as I felt I'm nearing my climax. "Y-Yuno …! I'm close!" I cried out as I tried my best to hold myself back. "Inside! T-the same time with me! Toshii!" She cried out.

We both let out a lust-filled shout as we reached our climax at the same time. I felt my white essence spewing inside her as I felt something sticky dripping down from her wet crevice. Our bodies were shaking erratically as we stayed connected to each other for a while. I leaned myself against her as we both tried to catch our breath. "Was I too … rough?" I asked Yuno, who had some tears in her eyes. "Y-Yeah … but I love it …" Yuno replied with a sweet smile as she gave me a kiss on the cheek. As I pulled out my member, my white essence dripped down from her crevice. I quickly got a box of tissues and offered her some. "Ugh. I think I should've pulled out." I said as I watched her cleaned up the mess that I left her. "You don't need to, Toshii. Also, it felt better like this." She commented. "Geez. We're too young to become parents you know." I said with a defeated sigh. Well, that was something. That felt somewhat better than the pleasure that I get from killing. "Uh, Toshii? Are you … unsatisfied?" She asked me as she finishes wiping my essence from her precious part. She then points my member, which was still erected. "Uh … it won't go down." I mumbled as I felt a bit embarrassed. She lets out a giggle and leans in towards me. "I love you, Toshii!" She happily said as she embraces me. Pft. I'm starting to feel satisfied whenever I'm with this girl, huh?

* * *

 _How can I trust a psycho like you?!_

 _Pick Yuk…_

 _Pick her and die here, or pick me and you get to live._

 _Yuk …_

 _Answer me, you villain!_

 _He's rather cute._

* * *

The very next morning, I woke up earlier than the usual. As I sluggishly sat up in my bed, I felt a bit tired and drained out. I have this pink-haired girl of mine to blame. Yuno was still sound asleep when I began stretching my arms. I took a quick glance on the wall clock as I slowly stood up. It's 30 minutes past 5 in the morning, huh? I might as well cook something for us. First off, a shower.

After a quick shower, I went to the kitchen to cook our breakfast. I got out a pack of bacon from the freezer, got some eggs, and began heating a pan. "Eggs and bacon with some toast? Hm. That I can do." I muttered to myself. Once the pan reached a certain temperature, I then added a teaspoon of oil and began to fry the bacon. After some minutes, the strips of bacon were golden brown. I quickly bring them out of the pan and placed them on a plate with a paper towel on top. I'll let the paper towel soak all the oil for a while. As I was about to crack the eggs open, I saw Yuno come out of the room. She's like half-asleep or something as she slowly made her way towards me. "Hey. Good morning, sleepyhead." I said as I began cooking the eggs. "Good morning … Toshii …" Yuno mumbled as she sat down on one of the chairs facing the dining table. "Sunny side up or scrambled?" I asked her. "Sunny side up … please …" She replied as I heard her let out a huge yawn. "Pft. You're the tired one? I did most of the moving last night, you know." I remarked with a chuckle. "But you were too rough, Toshii. I kept on coming and coming because of you." She said with a sleepy tone in her voice. "Isn't that a good thing?" I asked as I let out another chuckle. Odd. It feels like we're living together for a while now, huh? Oh. I almost forgot to prepare the toast.

After eating breakfast, Yuno went inside the bathroom for a shower while I was left alone in the living area with my coffee. "Hey, Yuno. My diary had a static last night, right?" I asked her as I heard the water splashing down on the ceramic tiles inside the bathroom. "Yeah! It suddenly buzzed when we were doing it!" Yuno answered. "Oh yeah, that killed the mood a bit since I was too curious with the entry." I muttered myself as I grabbed my diary. Let's see …

 **May 5 – 20:30pm [Omekata Temple, Main Building]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-Lost against the followers of Sixth. He was hacked to death with axes.  
 **DEAD END**

 **May 5 – 23:00pm [Omekata Temple, Main Building]  
** Gasai, Yuno  
-After seeing the death of First, she tried to take revenge on their attackers. She was captured and was raped by Sixth's followers. She committed suicide in the end.  
 **DEAD END**

Hm? What's this? An entry about me and Yuno? "Interesting …" I muttered to myself as I carefully checked the other entries. So far, we don't share a similar location in the other entries. First off, how the hell are we gonna end up in the Sacred Eye cult? Hm. That cult sounds familiar. I think I did a contract for them two years ago or something. Oh wait. I remember now. Kurusu called last night. Before I slept, he suddenly called me to say that he found a lead on Ninth. So, Ninth was captured by the cult, which is probably under Sixth's control, so the detective plans to make an arrangement so that we could get Ninth? Perhaps that's the case, but there's no entry about Ninth, Sixth, or Kurusu. "That's kinda unfair." I muttered to myself. "What's unfair, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she steps out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body.

"Yuno, what happened in the First World when we got tangled with the Sacred Eye Cult? Did we fought them or something?" I asked Yuno as she sits down in front of the fan. "Sacred Eye? Uh … if I could remember correctly, we … you killed Sixth. We were cornered by her followers. I was captured while you managed to slip past by them. As they were about to rape me, you came in and saved me. You went bat-shit crazy against her followers. Some of them actually ran away. After that, you killed Sixth." She replied as she dries her pink hair with a towel. "I see … Anyway, don't spoil anymore. Somehow, I'm pretty excited for this fight. Don't worry. I'll make sure nothing happens to you, since you're mine after all." I stated as I noticed a sudden flustered expression on Yuno's face. "Geez. You're such a sweet talker, Toshii." Yuno remarked with a pout. "What? Just stating a fact, miss." I said as leaned in towards her. She simply smiled and kissed me.

 _ **BZZZZZT!**_

The sudden static from my phone caught our attention. I have a hunch feeling what appeared there, but I don't want to be further spoiled in our upcoming battle. I don't want to ruin my fun after all. "You're not going to take a look at it, Toshii?" Yuno asked me as she fixes my messy black hair. "Nah. I don't need to." I said with a smile.

Since Kurusu will pick us up around 10 in the morning, we decided to prepare for the long day ahead of us. "Be prepared, alright? I know you can pull your weight, but don't over exhaust yourself in a fight. You'll be an easy target if that happens." I stated as I put on a black tank top and opened a hidden compartment inside my wardrobe. Inside was my old gear and equipment. "Got it, sir!" Yuno replied as I took out my old black combat vest, and some throwing knives. This old combat vest of mine has a holster for these throwing knives. "Tsh. I only have 6 now, huh?" I muttered to myself as I put on my combat vest. "Hm, are you going to use this knife, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she hands me a trench knife from the hidden compartment. That trench knife that she was holding is my most used weapon. The blade is longer than the usual model since I modded it quite a bit. The blade is probably 9 inch long and it has these knuckle guards which were carved with sharp edges on it. "Ah. My trusty knife. Hm. I'll use it. Oh. You can use the other knife that I have there." I said as I took the trench knife from her hands. I quickly took a spare combat knife that I have and gave it to her.

"Alright. We can't let our detective buddy see our weapons, so conceal it for now." I said to Yuno as I placed my trench knife in its holster on my back. I then put on a white jacket so that I could conceal my combat vest from the naked eye. "But, I'm wearing a skirt …" Yuno muttered with a pout. "Yuno, we're going into a fight to the death later. Are you sure you wanna wear a denim skirt there?" I asked her with a disappointed look on my face. After Yuno changes into some black skinny jeans, I then gave her a knife holster than she could sheathe the knife in. "Just to be sure, bring a purse. You could hide the knife there for now." I said as I stretched my arms. "You really are that prepared, aren't you, Toshii?" Yuno commented with a smile. In reply, I simply gave her smirk and a chuckle.

After some minutes, we went down to meet up Kurusu at the lobby. "Oh. Good morning you two." Kurusu greeted us with a smile. "Hey. Morning. So, just the three of us?" I asked him as I noticed a single black sedan that was parked in front of the condominium. "I'll just call in some people if needed. Why? Did your Death Diary pick anything up?" He replied. Tch. He'll spoil the fun if I were to say that my diary did pick something up. "Nope. All clear." I said as we walked past him.

"Ah. Alright. Oh, Gasai. How was the sleepover in Toshiro's place?" Kurusu asked as we entered his black sedan. Yuno sat down beside me at the backseat while Kurusu will be driving. "It was fun!" Yuno replied with a smile. "I see. I know I'm in no position to say this, but don't anything that would make your parents regret, alright? You guys are still young after all." He remarked with a chuckle. A sudden laugh managed to slip by my mouth as I heard Kurusu's words. He curiously looked at me at the rear-view mirror. "N-Nothing. I just remembered something." I said as I calmed myself down. Parents, huh?

After lunch, we arrived at the front gates of the Sacred Eye Temple. Ah. This place is familiar. I did go here two years ago. Back then, the priestess was a bit, how should I say this, creepy? Like she just went through something harsh. Beats me, and it doesn't involve me. Her followers simply tasked me to kill some rebel followers of theirs who were using their name for their own gain. It was an easy contract to be honest.

As we entered the vicinity, I quickly noticed the large number of people who were queuing up towards the shrine area of the temple. "So, is the priestess still the same? The last time I went here, there was this young girl who was acting as their priestess." I asked Kurusu as he joined the queue. "Hm. I'll ask. Excuse me! Can I ask something?" Kurusu said as he calls the attention of a nearby shrine maiden. The small girl in the white-red garments approached us. "Yes? What can I help you with?" The shrine maiden asked us. "Uh, who's the leader of the Sacred Eye?" Kurusu asked. "Ah. Priestess Kasugano is the head of the Sacred Eye. Do you seek an audience with her?" The shrine maiden replied. "Still the same, huh." I muttered to myself as I quickly recognized the name. "Ah, yes please." Kurusu replied. "We're going to meet the priestess? Tch. I have to look presentable. Mr. Detective, you go ahead. We'll catch up." I said as I turned around and acted like I was fixing my hair. "Uh. She wouldn't mind your appearance, but just follow soon, alright?" Kurusu remarked as he follows the shrine maiden towards the main hall.

"Alright, now they're gone. Time to snoop around." I said to Yuno as I quickly looked around the area. Not that many cult members roaming around, huh? If my hunch is correct, the priestess of this cult is the Sixth diary user. I have to find where they're holding Ninth so that they'll lose their bargain offer to us. Me and Yuno cautiously sneaked around the compound. We avoided the cult members and we eventually reach this storehouse at the back of the compound. Surprisingly, the door was left unlocked. "What's this, Toshii?" Yuno asked as we entered the shady looking storehouse. The interior of the storehouse was filled with wooden boxes. Though it was dark, I quickly noticed that some of the boxes were covering a small concrete stairwell. "I can't believe the previous Toshiro didn't notice this." I muttered as I cautiously moved some boxes aside. There was a faint light coming from the end of the stairwell, which was leading to this basement room. We cautiously went down and arrived at in front of the slightly opened door. I could hear a faint male voice inside, though I can't understand a thing the guy is saying. It's too faint.

As I peeked inside the room through the small gap in the door, I quickly noticed the chained up woman inside a cell. I quickly recognized the woman's distinctive purple hair. Not to mention, that black leather eye patch of hers gave her identity away. "Jackpot." I whispered to myself as I brought out my knife. As Yuno took out her knife, we prepare ourselves to storm the room. With one swift kick, we stormed the room. To our surprise, there was only one guy guarding Ninth. He was slim, and had this clunky-build. "Ah! Who goes there?!" The guy shouted as he quickly turned around and faced us. "First … What the hell are you doing here?!" Ninth shouted at us.

"Keep your voice down, will you? Or not, those cult members would find us here." I said as I kept my trench knife at the ready. "First?! The First diary user is here?!" The guy frantically shouted. Wait a minute? Can't he see us? He's practically looking at us right now. "Ah. I also brought Second along, so is that okay?" I asked with a sarcastic tone. The moment I saw his greyish eyes, I noticed the reason of his visual problems. This thin guy in front of us, is practically blind. His sense of hearing is pretty good though, since he kept up with Yuno's movement. Yuno was trying to flank him on his right, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if we would gang up on a blind guy. "Stand down, Yuno." I said as I lowered my weapon. Yuno hesitated, but she slowly lowered her knife too.

"Ah, where are my manners. I welcome you, First. I am the Twelfth Diary User." Twelfth said as he reaches out his hand for a handshake. "Well-mannered, hm. Whatever. Tell me. What are you doing here with this explosive hag?" I asked as I looked at Ninth. "Who the hell are you calling a hag?!" Ninth annoyingly snarled at me. I can't help but to laugh as she gave me an annoyed look on her face. "Ninth was captured by this evil cult. I, the Twelfth, chose to side with this woman to take on this evil cult!" He replied with a sudden vigor in his actions. Is he trying to act like a hero or something? It's disgusting. "Er. Alright. Can we have Ninth? We'll take her in. I doubt she's in any condition to fight." I asked him. "That, I cannot answer. If you aid me as I take down this evil cult, I'll leave her in your hands if we were to be successful!" He said as he struck a pose. How can I take this guy seriously with this cheery antics of his?

"Uh. What do you intend t-" Before I could even ask my question, I quickly noticed the pendulum on his right hand. Oh. I've seen that thing before. That small pendulum is used for hypnotizing. I see. He's trying to lower our guard, huh? Before he could even try to hypnotize us, I quickly stepped in and grabbed onto his wrist.

 _ **BZZZZZZZT!**_

"W-What are you doing?" Twelfth asked I firmly held onto his wrist. "At first, I was reluctant to kill you from the get-go since you were blind. It'll leave a bad taste in my mouth if me and my partner were to attack a blind dude like you, but looks like we'll do this, the hard way …" I said with a sinister smile on face. "Y-You … Your aura …Its much evil compared to the cu-"

 _ **SLASH!**_

Twelfth let out a grunt as his body fell flat on the concrete floor. As I was holding onto his wrist earlier, Yuno quickly steps in and slashed his neck artery cleanly. "Atta girl." I said as I gave Yuno a pat on her head. "You guys … are sick …" Ninth said as I picked up Twelfth's diary. "Tell me, what's his name, Ninth. I'm interested." I said as I looked around the room for anything we could use. A small recorder that was on top of the steel desk caught my attention. "His name was Hirasaka, Yomotsu. That's his diary, the Justice Diary. Tch. What are you going to do with that?" Ninth asked me as I picked up Twelfth's diary. "Beats me. Collect it?" I replied as I placed his diary inside my pocket. "Toshii! I found the key!" Yuno said as she showed me a set of silver keys. "Alright. Time to deal with her." I said as I gave Ninth a sinister look. Before I could even take a step towards her, a voice inside of my head stopped me.

* * *

 _Don't do it. She's vital to the game._

 _She's going to be useful to us in the future, so calm down._

 _We could still use her._

* * *

 _ **BZZZZT!**_

Tsh. A resourceful terrorist as a temporary ally? Well, it could work for a while. For now, I'll follow Shaco's advice. Also, I find this woman rather, interesting. Not in the way that I feel for Yuno, but somehow, I have a hunch feeling that she could do something for us in the near future. I picked up her diary on top of the steel desk and threw it towards her. "Yuno. Free her, but don't kill her." I ordered as I kept a close eye on the wooden door. "W-What? Why? We could easily kill her now, Toshii!" Yuno protested with a confused look on her face. "Killing her now will probably dull the game in the near future. For now, we'll leave her be." I replied. Yuno reluctantly opened the steel door. She gave Ninth an intimidating glare as she releases her from her binds.

"Don't think I already forgave you for my eye, First." Ninth stated as she stood up, baring her bare breasts in front of us. "Put some clothes on, damn woman. Also, I won't ask for your forgiveness, you hag. I simply fought back when you tried to kill me. Good for you, that I chose to spare you right now … since you're a mutual acquaintance of mine." I remarked as I picked up a white shirt on top of the steel desk, and threw it towards her. "A mutual acquaintance? What the hell are you talking about?" She asked as she puts on the shirt. "The one who smuggled you in, he was called Mist, right? Well, he's my guardian. Anyway, keep low for now. I don't want the priestess to know that she already lost her bargain chip." I said as I placed back my knife inside its sheathe. "A-Ah, wait for me Toshii!" Yuno said as I caught a glance of her wiping her blood stained knife onto Twelfth's clothing.

Before heading back to the main hall, I saw a red ball underneath one of the buildings. From afar, I quickly recognized the ball. When I first met the Priestess, she was holding onto that ball like it was so important to her. "Hold up." I muttered as I stopped Yuno in her tracks. "Hm? What's up, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked as I ducked down and went towards the ball. Before I could grab it, I noticed a putrid smell coming from the red ball. It's like the mixture of a dried up essence of a man and nature. If that image in my memory serves me correct, this ball means something to her. If so, I could actually use it to lower her guard or something. "Yuno, do you have a plastic bag or something?" I asked Yuno who was right behind me. "Hm. I do. What for, Toshii? Hm? What's that?" She asked as the red ball also caught her attention. Before she could even reach her arm out towards it, I quickly grabbed onto her. "Don't. It smells bad. Just put in the plastic bag. I might use it later." I remarked which left a confused look on Yuno's face. Yuno shrugs off her confusion and pulls out a black plastic bag from her purse.

* * *

As we arrived at the main hall, the large wooden cage at the far end of the hall caught my attention. Inside was a young woman cladded in these red robes. She must be Priestess Kasugano. "Ah. You two! Show some respect! You're in front of the priestess!" Kurusu stated as I noticed him kneeling down in front of the cage. Me and Yuno simply ignored his order and approached him. "Yo, Priestess. It's been a while." I said as the followers began to notice my rude actions. "Excuse me, but do I know you? I have a-" "A terrible eyesight. You told me that when you took a good look on my face a few years ago." I said as I cut her off in mid-sentence. I saw a sudden glimmer in her eyes as she finally recognized me. "Ah. Welcome back. Have you been well? Come closer. I want to take a good look of your face once again." Tsubaki said which sparked Yuno's attention in a bad way.

"Y-You know the priestess personally?" Kurusu asked with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "Yes, Kurusu-san. This guy here did us a, favour back then." Tsubaki said with a smile. "I'll be you in a minute, Priestess. I have to talk to Mr. Detective here first." I said as I knelt down beside Kurusu. "So, what should we do? She's asking for protection since she has a Dead End. If we manage-" "Listen, old man. Ninth is hiding in a storeroom at the back of the compound. Get her and do whatever you want. I'll handle this situation with Sixth." I whispered as I gave him a pat on the back. "Are you sure you can handle this?" He asked me. "Yeah, I'm pretty confident about it. Besides, I got this girl to back me up." I said as I pointed my thumb towards Yuno, who was giving Tsubaki an evil glare.

"Alright, Priestess. You're in a pickle right? You need protection?" I asked Tsubaki as I kept Yuno at bay. Geez. She doesn't have to be so angry with the priestess. She'll get her chance later. If she acts like this, she'll blow our cover. "Yes. I take you two are fellow diary users too?" Tsubaki asked. I simply nodded back in reply. "I see. As I told Kurusu-san earlier, my followers have captured the Ninth diary user early this morning. If you help me avoid my Dead End flag, I'll give you Ninth." She stated with a calm smile on her face. "Hm. That's a solid deal. Me and my partner will be enough to deal with this. Mr. Detective over there could provide police support if needed." I commented with a fake smile on my face. I have to contain these excitement inside of me. I can't show my sinister side just yet.

Heeding my words, Tsubaki instructed her followers to stand by. As Kurusu left the scene to sneak his way towards the storehouse, me and Yuno went inside the wooden cage. As we entered the large cage, I could sense a killer aura creeping out from Yuno. "You look quite different than before." I said as I tapped Yuno's forehead, which made her stop emitting that aura of hers. "Time does change everyone, Thanatos-san." Tsubaki responded with a smile as she welcomes us in. "True, true. Anyway, this girl beside me is my partner. She's Gasai, Yuno." I said as I nudged Yuno to bow her head, which she did. "Ah. Pleased to meet you, Gasai-san." Tsubaki as she gave her pleasantries to Yuno.

I sat down near Tsubaki with Yuno beside me. While I kept the priestess' attention with my words, I was jotting down my orders to Kurusu. I told the priestess that I was checking the entries in my diary. "So, what does your diary do?" Tsubaki asked as she scooted closer towards me. "The Death Diary? It shows me how a person dies, like the time, location, and different ways how they could die," I replied as I noticed her sudden action. I could hear Yuno gritting her teeth as she closely watched Tsubaki. "Ah. That sounds resourceful." Tsubaki commented. "Also, I saw your entry. It's past 8 in the evening, right?" I asked which is in truth, was a blind guess. "Yes. It showed here in my Clairvoyance Diary that I die tonight." She replied as she brings out a scroll from her robes. Heh. I managed to pull that one off, huh? I have a feeling that if I let her check my diary, she'll see through our façade. I have to keep fooling her till the time is right. "The Clairvoyance Diary allows me to see what my followers will see in the near future. To be honest, it's still sinking in, you know, this whole entire survival game thing," Tsubaki said as she opens the scroll.

 _Front Gate Reception  
_ All is normal here.

 _Security  
_ Nothing new here in the gardens.

"I see. It's like a log entry for security guards or something." I commented as I caught a glimpse of her Dead End entry. Hm? There's just a big Dead End text under her name. There's no detail or whatsoever. If her status as priestess is relieved, she's practically useless. "Yes. It's something like that," Tsubaki said with a smile as she leans in towards me. Yuno noticed her action and was about to attack her. Noticing the rage in Yuno's eyes, I quickly held onto her hand and gave her a stern look. "A-Ah … sorry, Toshii …" Yuno mumbled as she looked away and sat closer to me. "Ah. Am I doing something to anger your partner?" Tsubaki asked with a curious tone. "Uh. She's my lover of some sorts, so yeah. She's just taking a good look on my face, Yuno. Don't worry." I said with a warm smile towards Yuno. "You look quite different, Thanatos. Did you cut your hair short?" Tsubaki remarked as she withdraws her face away. "Yep. Long hair isn't really my thing, you know." I responded as I gently caressed Yuno's hand. "Ah. That aside, I'm really relaxed since I have the great Thanatos again at my presence." She said with a smile. Tch. She's trying to gain my trust, is she? Too bad. I already know her intentions after all.

Soon, it was almost time for her Dead End. Her followers arrived at the scene with axes and machetes in their hands. They look like a peasant mob or something from a monster flick. Roughly, I could count to 50ish followers inside the main hall. So it'll be 2 versus 50, huh? This is gonna be something. "Prepare your men, Priestess." I said as I and Yuno stood up. "Everyone, at arms! My killer could appear in any second now!" Tsubaki shouted as I unwrapped the plastic bag in front of her. Her eyes were left wide open as I approached her with the red ball in my hand. "W-Where … did you find it?" She mumbled with tears in her eyes. "I saw it underneath a building earlier. I remember that you had a red ball in your hands when we met each other, so I assumed that it belonged to you." I replied as I gave her the ball. "T-Thank you … this means so much to me." She said as she warmly accepted the ball with her tears flowing freely from her eyes. Heh. Her guard is down. Time for the finale, huh?

I and Yuno went out of the cage and went in front of Tsubaki's followers. I gave my final order to Kurusu, which is to escape while I make a distraction for them. In reality, I just want this bloodbath to happen. As I slowly turned my back, I noticed a middle-aged woman glaring at me with great anger in her eyes. I quickly recognized the brunette, since she took care of me when I was living under the same house with her. "Auntie's here, huh?" I muttered to myself as Yuno noticed my words. "Hm? Who's here, Toshii?" Yuno asked. "My auntie. Heh. I could properly sever my ties with those two here, huh?" I replied with a smile as I brought out my trench knife.

"Alright. Is everyone here prepared to fight for the Priestess?" I shouted as I looked closely at the followers of the Sacred Eye. A mixture of young and old faces, huh? I don't see anyone who looks like they're properly trained in combat, so a bit disappointing. That aside, I have to take this one seriously since I have to keep this pink-haired girl of mine alive. I have to keep my promise with her, after all. The followers let out a loud yell in response. They're probably trying to prepare themselves for a battle, which is good. If they start running once I enter my trance, this is going to be boring. "Good. Please. This might be sudden, but I'll show you guys how to defend yourself from an attack. We need, two volunteers." I said as Yuno readies her blade behind her back. Two grown men volunteered themselves and approached us. "A fine evening, don't you think, gentlemen?" I asked them as I position themselves in front of me and Yuno. "A-Ah. Thanatos-san. It's a pleasure to see you again. I was the one who accommodated you when you visited us a years ago." The man in front of me said. Pft. Whatever. "I see. Anyway, please. Act like you're going to attack me with that axe of yours. The fellow in front of my girl could do that too. Don't worry. We're just going to demonstrate to your fellow followers." I said as the other followers started to doubt my words. "A-Ah, got it, Thanatos-san!" The man as he prepared himself. As the both of them acted that they were going to attack us, I gave Yuno the go signal with my eyes.

 _ **SLASH!**_

With one swift step, we slashed the men in front of us down. Their blood spewed out from the slash on their necks as they fell flat on the floor. I heard the sudden gasps from the followers as I noticed the surprised look in Tsubaki's eyes. "Oops. I tripped. Anyway, that's how you defend yourself …" I said with a sinister smile on my face. "Y-You … what did you just do …" Tsubaki frantically mumbled. "It was an accident! I swear … Bah. Fuck this act. That was a fucking drag. Anyway, yeah. You caught me red-handed, literally," I said as me and Yuno readied our stances. "You thought it was the Twelfth who will kill you, but it was I, Thanatos!" I shouted with a sudden glee in my voice. Some of her followers stepped up and tried to attack us. One by one, their bodies fell down on the tatami mat, lifeless. "Nice work, Toshii!" Yuno happily praised me as their blood stained our skins, knives and our clothes. "Y-You … fooled me! Get them! Incapacitate Thanatos! I'll let him ... watch his partner get defiled in front of him!" Tsubaki furiously shouted out as her followers charged in.

Here it comes. The thrill of the hunt!

Three men tried to attack me with their weapons. I quickly evaded all of them and misdirect each attack to their follow ally. My attacker froze as he realized that he stabbed his female ally. "Oh? Killing your fellow follower? Why, thank you." I said as I stepped in and stabbed right through his skull. They both fell lifeless on the floor as the third tried to attack me from behind. "You'll pay for that!" He furiously shouted out as he tries to cleave me with his axe. To his surprise, my pink-haired partner quickly slashed him down. The first slash landed on his arm which disarmed him of his axe, and the next one on his neck. "You were saying? Tch. Thanks, Yuno!" I shouted as I charged in towards the other followers. "Anything for you, Toshii!" Yuno happily shouted as she followed my charge.

One by one, the followers were struck down by our blades. Though some of them managed to graze us with their weapons, none of them actually managed to put up a fight. After the 14th body, we quickly withdrew ourselves from the fray. I noticed Yuno's deep breathes as exhaustion is slowly taking its toll in her body. "Still getting used to it, huh?" I asked Yuno as I felt the slash wounds throughout my body. Hm. None of them are that deep. That's probably a good thing. Yuno's clothes were damaged from their attacks. She sustained some slash wounds too. Not to mention, mid-battle, her knife broke. She had to resort in using one of the axes that the followers were using. "I-I can … still go on … Toshii …" She mumbled as the followers began to corner to us.

"Go on! The girl is getting tired! Focus on her! Keep Thanatos at bay!" Tsubaki furiously shouted. As one of the men tried to lunge himself towards Yuno, a sudden throwing knife pierced his skull. His body fell flat on the floor as I slowly took off my blood-stained jacket. "Nobody touches her except for me." I said as I glared at our attackers. "T-Toshii …" Yuno mumbled as I approached her. "My time to go all out, alright? Just hold on to your diary and watch your Toshii go wild. I'll give you a reward later for your performance." I stated as I petted her with my open hand. After giving her some reassurance, I took the axe from her hand. After taking a deep breath, I made my way towards the followers. "So, shall we dance?" I asked with another sinister grin on my face. The moment they charged in towards me, I found myself smiling like a madman.

Soon, the main hall was littered with the dead bodies of her followers. Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by 5 cult members. One of them was my Auntie, who had this furious expression on her face. As two of them charged in, I quickly deflected their attacks with my weapons. As my weapons were in a deadlock with theirs, their allies, except for my Auntie, charged in. "Really now?" I muttered as I pushed one of them back, leaving my axe-wielding hand from any restrictions. With one cleave, I managed to hack one of my attacker's face. His eyes were slashed in half as I threw the axe upwards. As the axe was in mid-air, I managed to push back the cult member who was holding my trench knife back. I quickly pulled out two throwing knives and threw it towards one of my attackers. The knives pierced his neck and shoulder as his body tumbled down on the tatami mat. With one swift motion, I quickly disarmed my last attacker with a deep stab on his right arm. As he cried out in pain, I swiftly caught the falling axe with my open left hand. "Look at that. You're wide open." I muttered with a big sinister smile on my face as I saw the look of despair from my attacker's face. With one powerful hack towards his neck, his head went flying towards Tsubaki.

As the sight of their fellow cult members dying in quick succession, the remaining cult members ran off. "You! I'll kill you! After what you did to my husband, I'll kill you!" Auntie furiously shouted as she charged in with her machete at the ready. I effortlessly dodged her attacks. She was never that good physically. In the corner of my eye, I saw some of the cult members trying to corner Yuno. As I dodged one slash from Auntie, I quickly pulled out three knives and threw it towards the men. Two knives managed to land on the necks of two different cult members, while the other one grazed through the remaining cult member's eyes. As my Auntie noticed my attention was elsewhere, she tried to grab the opportunity to stab me but one with quick step, I dodged her attack. "Goodnight, Auntie." I muttered as I stabbed her in her chest. She let out a soft groan as her dying body leaned in towards me. Her body slowly dropped dead on the tatami floor.

* * *

Finally, the battle has come to an end. It was me, Yuno and Tsubaki left in the main hall. I could roughly count thirty dead bodies inside the blood-filled hall. The strong smell of the red crimson was lingering in my nose. "Aah. That felt good." I said as I threw the blood-stained axe aside and wiped away the blood on my trench knife. With that, my blood-thirst was quenched. It's been a while since I went all out like this. That was probably during my last contract, when I thought I was going to die in the hands of hired assassins. "Good work, Toshii! Wait. I think I have a towel somewhere. Let's wipe those blood away." Yuno said as she approached me with my blood-stained jacket in her arms. "Thanks. Made you worry, huh?" I asked her as she handed me a towel. "A bit, but my diary didn't picked up anything dangerous. You were pretty awesome earlier!" She happily commented as I began wiping my body.

The moment Yuno's eyes made contact with the shivering Tsubaki, I noticed a sudden sinister smile on her face. "How about her, Toshii? What should we do about her?" Yuno asked as she picked up an axe from the floor. "Hm. Depends on you. I already had my share earlier. My thirst for a thrill is satisfied already." I said as Yuno slowly made her way towards the wooden cage. "T-Thanatos! Please! Stop her!" Tsubaki shouted as she desperately ran towards a corner. "Oh? Why is that? This is a survival game, my dear priestess. Everyone has to kill one another." I asked as I watched Yuno hacked down the wooden door with her axe. "P-Please! I can be your ally! Just spare me!" She cried out as Yuno slowly made her way towards her.

To Yuno's utter surprise, I stopped her in her tracks. "T-Toshii? What are you doing? Why are you stopping me?" Yuno asked with a confused look on her face. "Let's hear her offer first." I said as I menacingly looked at Tsubaki, who was crawling towards me. "I-I … I can use my followers for your cause! We could use them to take down the other diary users!" Tsubaki cried out as the look of despair filled her eyes. "But your whole cult is done for. I killed every capable men you have. The remaining cult members ran away from the fight. Also, I don't want others to do the dirty work for me," I remarked as I pick up her diary. "See for yourself." I said as I opened her diary. Inside was completely blank. There were no other entries other than her Dead End flag. "I-Impossible …" She mumbled as her tears started to form in her eyes.

"You're shaking, Sixth. After all you made me go through, how you played us like a damn fiddle that night, I think I deserve to repay you, right?" Yuno said with a furious yet mellow tone in her voice. "What are you … talking about?! I never did anything to you!" Tsubaki cried out as she furiously glared at Yuno. "In another world, yes. Your followers almost defiled me! You used us to take down Twelfth! You used Toshii! I can never forgive you!" Yuno furiously shouted. Suddenly, Tsubaki grabbed onto one of my legs. "If I'm not capable of fighting, please, use me as a woman! I know … I was defiled by my own followers, but I can please you! I can please you much better compared to that bitch!" Tsubaki cried out as she desperately begged for her life.

"Oh? You'll be my plaything?" I said as I squat down. "Toshii! Get away from her! Let me cleave her open!" Yuno furiously shouted as she tries to attack Tsubaki but was stopped by my hands. "Y-Yes. So please! Spare me! I don't want to be a goddess!" Tsubaki cried out as her shaking hand caressed my blood-stained face. "You liar!" Yuno furiously cried out. To Tsubaki's utmost surprise, I began laughing like a madman.

"Pft. I don't need you. Sorry. Nothing personal, alright?"

My sudden words left Tsuabki stunned. I brushed off her shaking hand off my face and stood up. "W-Why …? I ca-" "I already have this crazy girl of mine. I don't need any other girls. I'm not even interested in you. For your diary, well, I'll be taking it." I stated with a sinister smile on my face as my laughing fit died down. Knowing that she can never get out of this one, Tsubaki finally snapped. "Y-You monster! You're a demon! You're a selfish punk who simply wants to be a god!" She cried out in despair. "Pft. A god? You see, that's where you're wrong. I don't have any motives to be a god. I could give that title to anybody else. For me, I just want to enjoy this death game. I just want to kill people," I responded with a shrug. "If this survival game needs a villain, an enemy that everyone hates, then I'll gladly fill that role. That makes things faster and easier for me. Like you said, I'm evil after all." I said as I turned my back and made my way towards the destroyed door.

The main hall was silent. You could only hear the sirens of the police cars outside of the compound, and the priestess' pleas and cries as her looming death slowly approached her. I slowly made my way towards the open garden as I heard the priestess' shouts of pain as my deranged lover began hacking her down. I could clearly hear the axe cleaving through her body. She cursed the world for her fate. She cursed the world for killing her parents. Possibly, she wanted to become a god just to fix that event, to bring back her parents and relieve herself from torment. Even in her dying breath, she cursed her powerlessness in this dog-eat-dog world. Why would a person like me, who could relate on the amount of hell she went through, allow her to die in that manner? How could I easily turn my back on her pleas when I can make use of her? Well, there's a simple answer to that.

I'm already a demon.


	6. A Sudden Test

A week has passed since the Omekata Cult Incident. The media broadcasted it as an inner turmoil within the said cult. As we met up with Kurusu after the massacre of the cult members, he and his men noticed the blood-stained clothing of ours. I simply said that the cult members attacked us first, and we simply fought back. After hearing my explanation, Kurusu sent his men to gather whatever evidence they could find regarding the cult. Within the week, I and Yuno managed to fully recover from our wounds and injuries.

 _Toshii! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!_

After hearing the rather upbeat voice of my live-in partner, I opened my eyes and sluggishly sat up. "What time is it?" I mumbled to myself as I tried to reach out for my phone with my mind still half-asleep. After a few tries, I finally got my phone. Hm. It's quarter to 8 in the morning? "Come on! Your breakfast will get cold!" Yuno remarked as she peeked inside the room. I let out a yawn then sluggishly sat up and went towards the dining area. As I stepped out of the room, a sudden aroma entered my nose. I could hear my stomach growling as I caught glimpse of a stack of pancakes in my plate. Three pancakes were neatly stacked on top of one another and was finished up with maple syrup and some strawberries. I could feel my mouth watering as Yuno poured some coffee in my mug.

"You went all out, huh?" I asked Yuno, who was sporting a rather uncommon hairstyle, as I sat down on my seat. I rarely see her sport the twin buns hairstyle. I usually see her in her pigtails or when she just lets her long hair free. "Of course! Breakfast is important after all!" Yuno said as she places my mug at my arm's reach. "Pft. You never cease to impress me, Yuno-san. How about we get married later?" I said with a sarcastic tone as I took a sip in my hot coffee. Hm. She knows how I like my coffee; mild and a bit of sugar. "If you want …" She replied as she sat down in front of me. I noticed the sudden redness in her cheeks as I placed my mug down. Geez. She really takes the romantic things too seriously. I reached out towards a counter behind me. Yuno curiously watched me as I took a flyer on top of the counter. "Here. Read it." I said as I handed her the flyer. As she curiously read the flyer, I began eating her pancakes. I can't stop myself from commenting on how good her pancakes tasted. "A mock-wedding event?" Yuno muttered. "Yeah. I found that flyer when we were doing our groceries. I know we're too young to get married, but you know. I wanna try these things out." I said as I continued stuffing my mouth with her pancakes.

"Hm. I'd love to, Toshii! Uh. We had an event like this in the first world too. It's the same mock-wedding event. It's just surprising that you took the initiative for this one." Yuno remarked as she placed the flyer down and began eating her breakfast. "Oh? Wait. Doesn't that makes you married to the First World Toshiro? How can we have that wedding w-" "I think I'm counted as a widow, Toshii." Yuno commented with a saddened look in her eyes. Well, way to go to ruin breakfast, numbskull. "A-Ah. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind me taking you as my wife, huh?" I said with as I let out a forced chuckle to lighten the mood. "Are you sure, Toshii? You sound like … a bit awk-" "Nonsense. When I told you that I wanted to try things out with you, this whole relationship thing, I was being serious Yuno. So please. Believe me when I say that I want to go to a mock-wedding event with you." I said with a smile as I gently placed my hand on top of hers. She simply smiled back as that sad look in her eyes vanished.

After eating our breakfast, we began our weekly cleaning of the unit. Since my guardian is a clean-freak, we have no choice but to keep his place squeaky clean. Come to think of it, I haven't introduced Yuno to him. We should pay him a visit later or something. "All done in the room, Toshii!" Yuno said as she comes out the bedroom with a small garbage bag in her hands. "Be sure to take out the tissues, alright? They'll start to stink if you leave them there." I said as I kept on wiping the windows. "Already did! You need help?" She asked as I heard her place down the garbage bag near the kitchen counter. "I got this. If you're done, just relax and read something." I replied as she went back to the bedroom. A few moments later, she went out with a manga in her hands. "Hm? Whatcha reading?" I asked as I finally finished wiping the windows. "Volume 38!" She happily said as she began reading it. Pft. I can't help but to smile as I watched Yuno reading the manga that I recommended her. "Diamond is sure is Unbreakable, huh?" I muttered as I leaned my back against the leather couch.

 _ **RIIIIIIING!**_

The sudden ring from my phone caught our attention. Hm. The ringtone is different than the usual. Tch. A business call? I'm pretty sure I made it clear that I'm done with accepting contracts. "Someone's calling you, Toshii." Yuno said as she pointed at my vibrating smartphone on top of the coffee table. Letting out a sigh of defeat, I sluggishly reached out for my phone. Tch. I knew it. It's my old employer. What the hell does he want this time? "Hello, you reached the phone number of Nohiru, Toshiro. He currently doesn't give a single fuck about your proposed contract. Please end the call after the beep. Beep." I quickly said as I answered his call. "W-What? Hello? Toshiro?" The man on the other line said. "What do you want, geezer? I'm pretty sure I told you before that I'm finished doi-" "Hold up. This isn't a business call. Calm down." The man said with an irritated tone in his voice. "Heh. Getting a bit irritated, Mr Employer?" I asked with a smirk on my face. "Anyway. Can you come by my place later? I want to talk. A serious one. This isn't business oriented so please." He replied. The hell does he want? That aside, the great Hiriyama of the Yakuza is begging me to go to his place? That's something you wouldn't hear every day.

Knowing the man on the other line is a very well-known boss of a crime syndicate and he's begging for my presence, my curiosity was getting the best of me. Since there's no new entry about us and no leads about the other diary users, I might as well bite. "Tch. Same place? You know it's a drag to go to your place, right?" I asked with a sigh. "Yeah, same place. You're driving? Get your guardian to drive for you." He replied. "Nah. I don't want to bother him with something like this. He's a busy man after all." I said as Yuno rested her head onto my shoulder as she continued reading. "Alright. Be sure to bring some clothes, alright? I'll see you later then." He said. Before I could even ask him, he suddenly ended the call.

"Hm? Who was that, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked me as her eyes were still fixated in the contents of the manga. "My previous employer. Pft. I'm pretty sure you already know." I replied with a sigh. "Huh? Uh. My memory from the previous world is pretty hazy, Toshii. I could recall some important events, but most of them are pretty hazy." She said as she lets out a yawn. "Did you met my previous employer?" I asked her. She shakes her head as she closed the manga and placed it aside. "I might as well tell you. That man who called me earlier, was my pops, my biological father. He wants to talk to me face-to-face about something." I said as I gently played with her pink hair. "A-Ah. I see. I could remember something like going to this modern house with you, but … that's all I could remember." She said as she scratches her head. Hearing the sudden strain in her voice, I let out a sigh and patted her head. "Geez. Don't push yourself. Anyway, get your things ready, alright? We'll be staying in his place for a while or something." I said. "Got it, Toshii!" She said as she happily said with a smile on her face.

After fixing our things, we then locked the doors and left the unit. As we waited for the elevator, I quickly took out my phone. Better to notify Mist, or he'll nag me to death or something. As I was busy jotting down my mail, the elevator arrived. I finished sending my mail to him as we reached the parking floor. "Ah! This one, right?" Yuno said as she ran towards a nearby black sedan. First World Toshiro probably took her out for a ride, huh? "Yep. Just place your things at the back seat, alright?" I said as I opened the locks of the sedan. She cheerfully nodded and opened the back seat doors. After placing our bags inside, she then sat down by the passenger seat. "You sure you didn't forget anything? Like your toothbrush or something?" I asked her as I sat down in the driver's seat. "Hm … Nope! Not at all, Toshii!" She happily said as I started the engine. After some backing, the black sedan of ours exited the parking. We then accelerated away towards our destination.

After a while, we reached the entry point of the freeway. "Hm? A traffic accident?" I mumbled as I noticed a sudden traffic at the entry point. Tsh. We can't get a good look of it. The sound of the beeping cars filled our ears. Ugh. That's pretty irritating. "Uh. Want me to play a song or something? I think I have a playlist here." I asked Yuno as I handed her my phone. "Hm. Alright! What do you want, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked as she checked my playlists. "Anything will do. Surprise me." I said as I kept my eyes on the road while my pink-haired lover hooked my smartphone into the auxiliary cable. As the traffic began to move, the sudden familiar music that Yuno played caught my attention. The familiar opening guitar rift made me nostalgic.

 _We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when;_

"Oh? That's a good choice. Wait. Did you le-" "Nope! The previous Toshii never talked about his musical taste and all to me. He … we were too caught up in the heat of the survival game. We never had the chance to actually sit down and talk about our interest. He was … too fixated in the survival game." Yuno said as she held onto my smartphone. Hm. I see. That's why Shaco told me to give this newfound emotions of mine a try. Maybe he felt bad on how he treated Yuno.

 _I thought you died alone, A long long time ago;_

"Pft. Alright. How about this. This time around, I'll tell you everything. Just ask away." I said with a smile as our black sedan entered the freeway. From here, it'll be a 45 minute drive to our destination. Since we left the unit around past 11 in the morning, we'll probably reach my former employer's house by 4 in the afternoon. "That sounds great, Toshii! Hm. I'll get my questions ready then!" Yuno happily said with a giggle.

 _Oh no, not me, I never lost control;_

 _You're face to face, with the man who sold the world;_

* * *

As expected, we arrived at the front gates of the greyish white modern house. The black automated gates were left open for us. As I parked our black sedan near the porch, I let out a deep breath and prepared myself. Should I act professional and cold, or should I try being indifferent to his words? Ugh. We'll see. "Ready?" I asked Yuno as I took our duffle bags from the back. She gave me a nod as she suddenly tapped my shoulder. To my surprise, she gave a sudden kiss. "A good luck charm!" Yuno happily said with a sweet smile on her face as she withdraws herself from me. "Heh. Thanks" I said with a grin as we exited the sedan.

After some few door bells, the front door swung open in front of us. A bearded man welcomed us in. He's probably 6 feet and 2 inches tall and his build is pretty okay for a middle-aged man. Somehow, his menacing presence was nowhere to be found. "Welcome, welcome!" He said with a big smile on his face as he playfully patted my shoulder. "U-Ugh. What's up with this cheery disposition of yours? What happened to the menacing yakuza boss?" I asked him as I rubbed my shoulder. I suddenly felt Yuno's fingers locking onto my hand as the bearded man took notice of her. The moment he saw Yuno holding onto my hand, I noticed a huge grin on his face. "I see, I see! You're at that age now, huh? I take this is your girlfriend, Toshiro?" He asked as he ignored my question. Girlfriend? Hm. I call Yuno as my lover since I know that she obsessively in love with me, but what do I actually feel for her? Truth to be told, I don't have any strong romantic feelings for her. Yeah, I'm attracted, but other than that, well, I'm not so sure.

"Y-Yes! I'm Gasai, Yuno! Pleased to meet you, honorary father!" Yuno said as she bowed her head in front of the bearded man. "Pleased to meet you! I'm your boyfriend's father; Hiriyama, Okugawa. Anyway, come in! Make yourself at home!" He said with a smile as he nudged us to enter the foyer. After placing our shoes by the shoe rack, he then led us to the living room. Hm. I never actually went inside his house before, so this is a first. "Come on! Sit down." He said as he gave the red leathered couches some pats. After placing our duffle bags aside, the three of us sat down. "So yeah. Why did you call?" I asked him as I kept looking around the room. He's not that extravagant when it comes in decoration. A minimalistic design, huh?

"We can discuss that later! Anyway, you want some coffee? How about you, Ms. Gasai?" Father asked as he was about to stand up. Before he could even stand up, Yuno suddenly stood up and raised her hand. "I-I can do it, honorary father! Please relax and bond with your son!" Yuno said. Ugh. What the hell is she doing? "A-Ah. Alright! There are some mugs by the coffee machine. If you need help, just give us a call." He said with a smile. After nodding her head, Yuno then went towards the kitchen area of the room. "She's trying to win my favour, hm? I like her. How about you marry her, Toshiro?" He commented with a jolly tone. "Yare yare. So? Can you answer my question now?" I asked him. "Alright. I'll keep it simple, alright?" Father said as his tone suddenly changed into something serious. "Wait. Is this business-related? I tho-"

 _I want to make my amends to you, Toshiro._

Amends? Is he trying to ask for my forgiveness? Is that it? I gave him a confused look as my eyes were closely observing his actions. To be frank, he sounds pretty honest. I never heard him talk like this before. Is he trying to be a good dad now? "Tch. You already know we're way passed that mark, old man. It's too late." I said as I turn my attention towards Yuno, who was busy pouring coffee into some mugs. "Too late? It's never too late, Toshiro. We could start over. This time around, I want to be a proper father to you." He stated. "Pft. The old 'proper-father' card. Seriously, though. Don't try. My mother … is the only family that I have, and she's dead. Did my biological father do something about it? Did you try to save us? Nope. Not at all." I said as my tone slowly became colder.

"I didn't know that something happened to you! If had, I would've done something!" Father said with a shaken tone. "Oh? But during the time that I was working for you, did it never occurred to you that we look similar? That I might be the son that you thought you lost? Bah. I told you. I'm done with this," I sternly said. "I could never see you as a father figure, but I respect you since you brought me into this world. Don't make me think less of you." I stated as a saddened expression appeared in his face. Well, this is something. "I-I see … well, I could try some other time …" He said with a forced chuckle. I simply ignored his words and watched Yuno as she held onto a tray with our mugs. "Here you go, honorary-father!" Yuno said as she hands a mug to Father.

After drinking our coffees, we sat idly on the couch. We chatted a bit to kill some time. "Oh. I almost forgot. Why did you made us bring clothes? Are we really going to stay here for a while? Like an overnight?" I asked him as he brought the mugs to the kitchen sink. "Uh. Well, about that … I have a favour to ask." Father replied as he began rinsing the mugs. "A favour?" I muttered as Yuno played with my black hair. "Uh. Er. You see, you know the Omekata Incident right?" He asked. Well, I was part of the massacre to begin with. "Yeah. What of it?" I replied. "Uh. Well, some of my employees were caught in that mess. A couple was killed, and their 5 year old son was left without a relative in this city. As a responsible boss, I have to take care of that kid till his relatives from the countryside picks him up." He said as he finished washing the mugs. "So, is this like a babysitter job? Do I get paid? You know I wouldn't do shit if I don't get paid." I asked him. "Yeah. Twenty-thousand yen. I'll give it to you tomorrow." He replied. Hm. Sounds pretty good. I can't be always dependent on my guardian for my money, so I might as well take this job. We never know when I'll be needing that kind of money.

After dinner, I went back to the guest room. I and Yuno took turns in taking our shower. Since she's in the shower, I'm stuck here alone in the guest room. I began looking around. "Hm. There's another futon here." I muttered myself as I saw the spare futon inside the closet. Meh. We wouldn't use this. The queen-sized bed is enough for us. Yuno's duffle bag caught my attention. Hm. Maybe she brought a manga along with her. I might as well read one. I then walked towards our duffle bags. As I opened the bag, I saw something gleaming inside. I slowly took it out. A kitchen knife? Why did she bring one along?

 _A-Ah. Toshii._

Her surprised voice behind me caught my attention. "How's the water?" I asked as I turned around. She was standing behind me completely naked. Since the bathroom is connected to the guest room, Yuno could flaunt her naked body like this. "U-Uh. It's alright." Yuno replied as she took off the towel that was wrapped around her hair and began drying her body. "Oh. What's this for?" I asked her as I neatly wrapped the kitchen knife with some towel and placed it aside. "A-Ah … it's just a … if your father disapproves of me … well …" She muttered as she kept her gaze away from me. Pft. Seriously? "No need to worry about that. He approves of you. Well, if he doesn't, he doesn't have a say in the matter. I wouldn't listen too, so don't worry will ya?" I remarked as I helped her dry her hair.

"Hey, Yuno. Can I ask you something?" I asked Yuno as we lean our backs on the dashboard of the queen-sized bed. "What is it, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked while she kept on drawing things on my chest with her finger. "Let's say you had to do something because you didn't had a choice. Like no matter how smart you are, at that scenario, you couldn't come up with any choices. In the end, you chose to do something to that will forever stain your hands. Do y-" "Are you asking about the first world again?" Yuno asked with an annoyed pout on her face. "Ugh. No. It's something psychological. People like us, do we deserve to dream? Do we deserve to ask for a brighter tomorrow? I just want to hear your opinion." I asked her as I gently caressed her pink hair. "I … can't answer that, Toshii. One thing is for sure, you gave me a future." She replied sweetly. A future? She must be pertaining to our promise. "Heh. We have two promises pending, huh?" I commented with a smirk on my face. "Yeah. The time you made our first promise, was the day after I killed my own parents." She remarked. "Oh. That's why you looked gloomy." I remarked with a chuckle as Yuno pouted her lips once more.

"You'll always be the light in my darkness, Toshii. You gave me something that I could look forward to." Yuno said as she positions herself on top of me. "Such a sweet talker, huh?" I said as I placed my hand on her cheek as she slowly brings her lips closer to mine. For a while, our lips intertwined with another. She withdraws herself a little, with that hazy look in her pink eyes. She gave me a sweet smile as I fixed her bangs. She's really into it, huh? "Uh. Are we really going to do it here?" I asked her as I placed my hands on her waist. "Well, if you're in the mood …" She said with a chuckle. "Hm. Well then. How about you do something about that, pretty lady?" I said with a smirk.

* * *

 _My name is Ryo-_

 _With your brains, you'll never find it._

 _She's the greatest threat to you._

* * *

The sudden headache woke me up from my slumber. I squinted my eyes as I tried my best to shrug off this headache of mine. Another weird dream. I was … relieving a memory, but the person that I was in … wasn't me. I'm sure of it. That's odd. Why do I have a feeling that whenever I have this sort of dream, something bad happens? Like we face a diary user or something. Heh. Well, that's an indicator when I'm going to have some fun. So, probably, something will come up, right?

After brushing off the pain in my head, I sluggishly sat up. Beside me was Yuno, who still sleeping soundly. The blanket covered her naked body as she held onto my arm. "Like a baby, huh? Well, I kinda was rough last night." I commented with a smile. After letting out a yawn, I gently moved my hand away and stood up. I put on my boxers and stretched my arms. "Hm. I still have time." I said as I noticed the digital clock on the nearby wall. It's just past 6 in the morning. I probably had a 5 hour sleep, but that's enough for me. I grabbed my diary on the nearby nightstand. Hm. No updates about us, hm? Odd. After putting on my white shirt, I then exited the guest room and when towards the kitchen. I took a banana from the fruit basket and proceeded to eat it. Since I have some time to spare till Yuno wakes up, time for a workout.

After a tedious workout routine, which were push ups, sit ups, squats, and more push ups, I sat down on the edge of the queen sized bed. As my body slowly cooled down, a sudden embrace from behind surprised me. "Good morning, Toshii …" Yuno said with a sleepy tone. It's like she's still half-asleep or something. "Hey. G'morning. Did you sleep well? Wait. Don't hug me. I'm sweaty." I said as I gently pushed her aside. "It was alright. Hm? Did you work out again, Toshii?" She replied as she noticed my sweat. "Yeah. I woke up a bit early, so I did the usual. Hmm. Wanna have a bath together? I need someone to rinse my back." I asked her with a chuckle. Yuno's cheeks turned red briefly as she gave me a smile. "Of course. Anything for you, Toshii." She said as she stood up. I watched her walk towards the bathroom door as my eyes were fixated in her naked body. Quite tempting, if you ask me. "Pft. I was the one who invited you, but in the end, I was the one who got 'invited'." I remarked with a chuckle. "Oh, come on. Let's go, Toshii." She said with a seductive smile on her face.

After a steamy bath with Yuno and changing into a new set of clothes, we then exited the guest room. As I accompanied Yuno while she eats something for her breakfast, I heard the sound of a nearby car pulling over. That's must be Pops since I didn't saw him earlier. "That's probably them" I said to myself as Yuno began eating a piece of bread with some jam. From the kitchen, I heard the front door open. "Toshiro! Are you up? Come here!" Father shouted. Ugh. After letting out a sigh, I walked towards the living area with Yuno. As we arrived there, I noticed a young boy sitting on top of the sofa. He's probably the kid who lost his parents during the Omekata incident. Pft. I really find it ironic that I accepted this job. I and Yuno are practically the ones who killed his parents. Well, as long I get paid for this.

"Ah. There you are. Reisuke-kun, this is Big Bro Toshiro and Big Sis Yuno. They'll be the ones who'll play with you during your stay here." Father said with a smile as the kid sat up. The moment I caught glimpse of his appearance, something flashed inside my head. His figure is rather, familiar. Like I've seen it somewhere recently. Did I saw him during the Omekata incident? I don't remember seeing a kid that night, but where? As I found myself lost in my thoughts, the kid approached us with puppet mitts covering his hands. "Hello, Big bro! Hey, Big Sis! I'm Houjou, Reisuke!" Reisuke said with a smile as he used his hands to move the puppets.

While Father is cooking something for our lunch, I and Yuno played with Reisuke. As the young boy began drawing on top of the coffee table, I can't help but to feel something is off. Why do I feel uneasy with this kid? I know I don't do well with kids, but, something's really off. "Hey. Question. Have you seen this kid before? Like, during a 'certain event' a week ago?" I whispered towards Yuno as we kept a close eye on Reisuke. "Uh. No … but he … looks familiar …" Yuno replied as I noticed her holding onto her temple with a pained expression on her face. Huh? She met this kid before in the previous world? Did this event happen there too? "You okay? Don't push yourself. I'll get you a glass of water." I asked as I stood up and gently patted her head. "Y-yeah. Thanks, Toshii …" Yuno replied as she tries her best to shake off her sudden headache. As I was about to move, I quickly noticed that the kid began cutting his drawing of Yuno. Huh. Isn't he to-

 _ **BZZZZT!**_

The sudden static from my phone caught our attention. Oh? There's a nearby diary user? As I was about to take out my phone, I caught glimpse of the kid as he began to run towards Yuno. I quickly stopped him as he passed by me. "Hey. Don't run while you're holding something sharp. You wouldn't want to make a bloody me- I mean you wouldn't want to hurt yourself, right?" I said as I stopped him in his track and took the scissor from his hands. I quickly noticed a surprised expression on his face which quickly disappeared. "Y-Yeah. I'm sorry, Big bro!" Reisuke said as he sprinted towards the foyer. "Where are you going? Don't r-" "Toilet!" He shouted as we watched him exit the living area. "Toshii? Your diary … there's another static that came out from it." Yuno said as she gave me a poke on my cheek. "H-Huh? It did? Sorry. I was too caught up. If that kid's that reckl-"

Wait a minute. These entries … there's nothing new about it. What did my diary pick up earlier? Did the nearby diary user had second thoughts? Come to think of it, the static came out right before I stopped … that kid …

Ah. It makes sense now. That figure of his … I've seen somewhere before. I've seen his figure though it was silhouetted. He's … another diary user. A young kid like him … is capable of killing me? A sudden smirk appeared on my face as I kept holding back my excitement. Phew. I almost missed that. Who would have thought that a kid like him would be in this game? If he's targeting us, he probably wants to take revenge on me and Yuno, since we killed his parents after all. "Interesting …" I muttered as I used my hand to cover the sinister smile on my face. "Huh? You okay, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a curious look on her face. Heh. Let's see how he'll attack. I wanna see how capable he is at that young age. He's much younger than I was when I began burying myself even deeper to hell. Pft. Accepting this job was good after all. "Nothing, Yuno. Nothing …" I said as I gave her a creepy yet reassuring smile.

* * *

Night soon fell in the Hiriyama household and soon, it was time for dinner. Throughout the day, I kept a close eye on that kid. He didn't make any moves against us, but that's probably what he wants to make us feel relaxed whenever he's around. Too bad he'll never catch me with my guard down. As Father was busy cooking some steaks and Yuno was watching TV, I kept my gaze on the little kid from afar. Surprisingly, that 5 year old kid volunteered to make the salad for tonight's dinner. Hmph. He's probably going to do something to that salad.

"Toshii? What are you staring at?" Yuno asked as she sat down beside me. Her sudden voice managed to startle me. "A-Ah. Nothing. Just waiting for dinner. You done watching the television?" I asked her. "Yeah. Nothing good was up. Uh. Why are you staring at that kid?" She asked once more as she curiously looked at me. Tch. She really loves watching me, huh? Letting out a sigh, I then stood up and dragged her towards the foyer. After closing the door and I moved closer towards Yuno. Here, no one will hear us talk to one another. "The kid's a diary user. Just like us." I stated as I kept a close eye on the living room door. Surprisingly, her cheeks were a bit red as I began whispering into her ear. "A diary user? H-How … did you find out?" She asked as I noticed a slight pained expression on her face. "First, when I asked you earlier if you've seen him before, you held onto your head with the same pained expression on your face. Stop trying to recall it since it puts too much strain on your mind. Second, I recognized his figure. During our first meeting with Deus, I took my time to familiarize myself with the silhouettes. Yes, I tend to forget them from time to time, but once I recognize a figure, they're good as dead." I replied as I gently petted her head.

For a moment, I noticed Yuno's gleaming pink eyes staring at me. "W-Wow … Toshii. You're that sharp?" Yuno said as she gives me a smile. "Heh. Just making assumptions. Anyway, relax. Get some medicine and sit on the sofa. Relax that head of yours." I remarked. "Roger that, Toshii! But, how should we deal with him? Are you going to play with him, or should we simply kill him in his sleep?" Yuno asked as a fond expression appeared on her face as I kept petting her. "Good thing you asked. I want to see how determined he is to get revenge. We killed his parents after all. No direct killing this time around, alright? For his diary, I'm pretty sure he keeps it inside that green backpack of his. He always has it on his back, so we can't steal it. I'll make a move tomorrow but till then, just be alert, alright?" I stated. Yuno simply nodded back and nuzzled her head onto my chest. Ugh. She really loves getting spoiled, huh?

After talking to Yuno, we went back inside the room. To my surprise, Father was nowhere in sight in the room. He's probably the one who went outside earlier while I and Yuno were whispering to one another. "Hey. Where's the old man?" I asked Reisuke as I approached him. As he heard my voice, I noticed a slight tremble on his body. I probably caught him surprised. "A-Ah. He went to the bathroom earlier. The stea-" Before he could even finish talking, I leaned in and got a closer look on the salad that he was making. In the corner of my eye, I noticed something sharp gleaming in a distance. A needle was poking out underneath a pile of paper towels. Hm. He probably made his move. My diary didn't pick anything up since I already know his true identity and intentions. With my instinct and planning, this kid doesn't have what it takes to kill me. I'll probably toy with him and make him think I still don't know who he is. Shifting my gaze back to the salad that he prepared, I quickly noticed the plum-looking cherry tomatoes. It's like about to burst or something. Ah. He probably used a syringe to inject something inside.

"Looks delicious. You're pretty good." I said as I took one of the cherry tomatoes. "A-Ah. Thanks!" Reisuke said with an uneasy tone. Hm. It's quite heavy. It's like its insides is filled to the brim with something. I could smell a distinct scent coming from it as I played it in my hands. "It's bad to play with your food, alright? So don't copy me. It's a habit." I said as the kid kept a close eye on me. "Hm. I'll have this one, alright? Later." I said as I began walking towards the foyer. As I exited the room, I quickly went towards the bathroom inside the guest room. There, I quickly sliced the tomato in half. Ah. My assumptions were true. As I sliced open the plum-looking cherry tomato, a whitish-liquid oozed out. The familiar toxic scent entered my nose. Potassium cyanide, huh? Where the hell did he manage to get one? Tch. Oh well. At least now, I have evidence that kid is planning to kill us. Heh. I'll foil every plan that he has in his mind. I'll be sure to thoroughly break his will.

After dinner, I began washing the dishes with Yuno. Behind Reisuke's back, I threw away the poisoned cherry tomatoes outside and switched it with normal ones. That's why during dinner, he had this surprised look when I ate the tomatoes. Heh. I bet he didn't saw that one coming. After cleaning dishes, we then went back towards the living area of the room. Father was busy watching the news while Reisuke was fixing something inside his bag. Before we could leave the room, Reisuke suddenly ran towards us. "Hey, Big Sis! I want to take a bath with you!" He said with a smile on his face. Before Yuno could look at him with an annoyed look in her eyes, I quickly squat down and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, kiddo. Big Sis is going to take a bath with me." I said with as I gave him a menacing glare. Sensing my aura, he quickly backed off and went back to Father. "Hey! Don't be so mean! Wait. What did yo-" "Night, old man." I said as I ignored his words and left the room with Yuno.

* * *

The following day, time quickly flew by. As Yuno stayed inside the guest room, I went out to watch the young diary user who's planning to kill us. As I entered the foyer, I quickly noticed Father who was putting on his shoes. "Where are you going?" I asked him as I stretched my arms. "I'm taking Reisuke-kun to the convenience store. He wants to buy something there. You want to come along?" He asked with a smile. Heh. I think this could make things more interesting. "I'll go with him. You could relax or do something else. Don't worry. I'm doing this since I want to repay you for the dinner last night." I said with a fake smile on my face. "W-What? Are you okay? You're not sick or anything?" He asked with a confused look on his face. "Just let me do it, alright? Anyway. I'll go tell him." I said as I gave him a pat on the back and went upstairs.

Before going to Father's room, where the kid was staying, I noticed the barely opened door at the corner of the hallway. Curious, I approached the door and entered the room. Inside was a simplistic office room. There were some picture frames in the nearby bookshelf which caught my attention. As I approached it, I quickly noticed a familiar face in one of the photos. "Mist …?" I muttered as I saw the face of my guardian in one of the photos. The picture is quite recent. Probably a year ago or something? Why is he … wait. Is he … related to the old man? Is that why he took me in?

In the other corner of the shelf was another picture of him. This time around, it was a picture of him during a graduation ceremony. Probably a picture of him graduating from his university or something. As I carefully looked at the picture, the certificate that he was holding caught my attention. "Hiriyama, Kazuma …" I muttered as I read his name. Wait. I've heard of that name. The name of the old man's first born son. He had a woman before he met Mother, so that's probably their kid. That makes him … my half-brother. Pft. That must be the reason why he took me in. "Quite a softie, huh?" I muttered to myself. I'll confront him sooner or later. For now, I'll deal with this kid.

Shrugging off my sudden discovery, I then went towards Father's room. I opened the door and found the kid looking at a drawing book. "Hey, kiddo. Pops told me that you want to go the convenience store. I'll tag along with you." I said as the drawing book caught my attention. Though I'm fairly away from him, I could somehow read some of the contents of the drawing book. A sheet would have a drawing in the middle, which was drawn with crayons, some scribbles that forms like a description and a … date and time. Wait a minute.

"I-I'll be down in a minute." Reisuke said as he quickly closes the drawing book and placed it behind him. For a second, I kept my gaze on him. That was … his diary. There's no doubt about it. "Sure. Take your time." I said as I gave him a fake smile. I carefully closed the door but I left enough space where I could peek in. I saw him place the drawing book carefully inside a brown envelope and placed it inside his backpack. Hm. It looks tough. How can I fool him and get his diary? I'll just probably switch that envelope of his with a fake one. I sneakily made my way to father's office once more. Once I entered the room, I quickly looked around for a brown envelope that is quite identical to the envelope that kid was using. Luckily, I managed to find one inside one of the drawers of Father's office table. As I opened the envelope to check its contents, a fine-print document caught my attention. A large number of yen that were being demanded caught my eye So, the old man's owes someone this large amount of money? Pft. Why would I give a damn? Placing the document aside, I took the envelope and closed the drawer.

I hid the fake envelope inside my shirt and went down. There, Reisuke and Yuno was waiting for me. "You going somewhere, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked me as I noticed her holding something gleaming behind her back. Ugh. That's probably a knife. She probably tried to kill this kid, but I showed up in the last second. "Yeah. I'm taking Reisuke to the convenience store," I replied as I kept a close eye on Reisuke, who's pretty much oblivious to what's happening. From the look of his face, he's probably thinking that we're still not thinking of doing anything malicious to him. Pft. Like Sixth, we're playing him like a fiddle, hm? "Could you, get me a jacket in my duffle bag? I'm feeling a bit chilly." I asked Yuno. "A-Ah. Sure. Be right back." Yuno said as she ran off towards the guest room.

"Big sis' weird." Reisuke suddenly remarked. Ack. Did he find out? "W-What makes you say that?" I asked him. "I don't know, but she acts weird whenever you're not around. Earlier, I saw her glaring at me." He replied. "Ah. That's normal for her. Her eyes isn't that great in the morning. She usually does that whenever she just woke up from a sleep or a nap." I replied, which is frankly a lie, as Yuno came back with a black jacket in her hands. "Here you go, Toshii!" Yuno said as she hands me my jacket. "Thanks. Come on now, kiddo." I said as I took the jacket from her hands and opened the front door. As Reisuke took a step outside, I quickly pulled Yuno towards me. "The hell were you thinking earlier? You can't kill that kid inside this house." I whispered to her. "Sorry, Toshii …" Yuno mumbled as I gave her a stern look. "Tch. As punishment, you're going to stay here, alright? I'll be right back." I said as I let out a sigh. Shrugging off my slight annoyance in her action, I gave her a pat on her head and followed Reisuke outside. "Take care of Reisuke-kun, alright Toshiro? Take care!" Father shouted as Yuno closed the front door.

After a brief walk, we reached the convenience store. Now, time to get serious. The moment we set foot inside the store, a sudden feeling of tension appeared in between us."So, what are you buying here?" I asked Reisuke as I looked around the store while he tries his best to escape my sight. "Pudding!" Reisuke replied. Though he tried, my eyes would always follow him, thus foiling his plans. "Which one?" I asked as we stopped in front of one of the fridges. He then points a nearby pudding inside the fridge. "Ah. Alright. Anything more?" I asked him as I took out the brown envelope from my back, which caught his attention. "What's that?" He asked as he gazed onto the envelope. "Ah. This? Father is making me do some errands. He wants me to send some files to his colleague." I replied. At the counter, he then takes out the brown envelope that he was hiding inside his backpack. "I'll be sending this too to my relatives!" He said with a fake smile on his face. "Oh? I see." I said as we both began walking towards the counter. Before reaching the counter, I carefully peeled the lid of the pudding. If I would drop this right now, it would make a big mess on the floor. That aside, as we reached the cashier, we placed the envelopes on top of the counter.

Just as the cashier was about to take one of the envelopes, I 'accidentally' pushed the pudding, which I carefully opened the lid, aside and it landed on top of Reisuke's head. The pudding scattered across Reisuke's hat and clothes. As both Reisuke and the cashier was distracted, I quickly switched the envelopes. Oddly, the envelope that he was hiding earlier is pretty heavy. Somehow, I could say that it's rigged or something. "A-Ah! Sorry! I didn't meant to! Here, let me he-" "You did that on purpose! Enough of this! I'm going back!" Reisuke angrily shouted as he grabbed onto the brown envelope on top of the counter and ran off. After paying and apologizing to the cashier, I ran off and chased him. Pft. Time to strike, then? As I put on my hood, I quickly ran towards him. Before he could react, I gave him a quick strike on his back which knocked him out cold. Luckily, no one was around when I did that. Heh. I know just the place where to interrogate him.

* * *

After sneaking around with him on my back, I reached an abandoned building that I passed by during my drive towards Father's place. With some used rope that I found inside, I tied him up onto a column. Just to be safe, I have to dispose of that black jacket of mine. I have to get rid of any evidence that could be linked to my abduction of this kid. I mailed Father and said that I and Reisuke will be going to the park for a while. Heh. That will buy me some time. I began checking Reisuke's backpack for anything he could've used. A gasmask and some syringes caught my attention. Oh. The kid was that prepared, huh? He should've made a move while we were still sleeping earlier.

Hearing Fifth's groan, I threw the bag aside and approached. "Wakey wakey, kiddo. Had a nice nap?" I asked him as he slowly fixate his gaze onto me. "Y-You … what did you do to me?!" Fifth frantically asked as his eyes kept looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Ah. You tripped and was out cold. You shouldn't run around with these inside your bag, kid." I said as I threw the contents of his bag onto the concrete floor. I could see a slight tremble on his body as he stared at his equipment. "Y-You … found out …" He shakily muttered. "Of course. When you tried to attack Yuno yesterday, I began to doubt you. That was pretty stupid. I have the Death Diary, you know? If you tried to do something and I managed to foil it, I could easily narrow the list of suspects down. You were inside the house, after all." I stated with a menacing glare at the tied up kid.

"Y-You … will never find my diary! You don't have the brains to find it! You can't beat me! I'm an elite, a genius!" Fifth frantically shouted as he tries to taunt me. Hm. He's desperately barking at me, huh? "Oh? You mean this envelope that was inside your bag?" I asked him as I picked up the crumbled brown envelope. To his utter surprise, inside the brown envelope was a single piece of paper. "W-What … happened to my di-" "Oh? Is this your diary? A single piece of paper? Pft. Or maybe, this is the one that has your diary." I said as I brought out another envelope from my back. "You switched them … at the convenience store …" He muttered as his whole body began to quiver in fear. "Ding, ding, ding! Correct! You really are a genius, you know? But, a genius like you, can't beat a bastard like me," I stated with a smirk.

"You know, I wanted to test you, if you had what it takes to kill me. I'm pretty sure you wanted to kill me since I and Yuno killed your parents. I do-" "Shut up! I'm not doing this for them! I don't care about them! I'm an elite! That's why I wanted to kill you!" Fifth shouted as his tears began to form in his eyes. Ugh. I feel bad bullying a kid, but what the heck. "An elite, you say? Hmph. You're only 5 years old, am I correct? When I was at your age, I lost my mother and step-father in a car accident. For a year, I lived inside a hollow shell that I created. Soon after, when I thought everything's going to turn well, my life turned into a hell that I slowly adapted to." I said as I carefully held onto the brown envelope of his. As I held onto the opening of the envelope, I felt something inside. There's this pack or some sorts and there's a string attached onto it. The string can only be felt in one side. Oh? He rigged the opening of the envelope? For a kid, he's pretty resourceful.

"Now then, let's begin the test, shall we?" I said as I took out my handkerchief and used it to cover my mouth and nose. "W-What are you planning to do?!" Fifth frantically asked me as he began to shake the rope loose from his body. "Judging from your expression, I'm pretty sure my assumption is correct. There's a poison gas inside the envelope, right? I've encountered some of these before, and let me tell you. I never liked it." I replied as I squatted in front of him and positioned the envelope in front of his face. "Y-You … wouldn't ki-" "I won't murder you. Heck, I'm giving you a fighting chance. If you can escape from those ropes, I'll let you kill me. If, you're able to, that is," I said as I ripped the opening of the envelope open. Suddenly, a greenish gas came out from the envelope. Fifth looked away and took a deep breath. As he began desperately to try to free himself, I took out his diary and placed it behind my back. "The antidote's in your backpack. Stay alive, will you, Reisuke-kuuun?" I said with a sinister smile on my face as I went out of the abandoned structure.

I took off my black jacket and placed it inside a garbage bag. I'll probably burn this later. I sat down on a nearby ledge and waited. Give or take, he'll suffocate within a matter of minutes. If he tries to breathe, he'll poison himself and he'll probably die within 10 minutes. Heh. I've been through worse. Poisoned by your own uncle so that you could become resistant to those kinds of things? That's a really special kind of training. "Show me, Fifth. Show me that you're capable enough." I muttered to myself as I kept my gaze onto the concrete opening of the abandoned structure.

* * *

 _Heh. I could really see the difference between us._

Huh? Shaco? What are you talking about?

 _Well, it's just that when I encountered Fifth, I went berserk on him. I … murdered a child with my own hands. He didn't stood a chance. He did poison me and Yuno and at first, but … looking back, he didn't deserve that kind of death._

You're such a softie, you know? So? What's the difference?

 _You're actually giving him a chance. Well, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to die in his hands since it's not our ideal death, but yeah. Unlike me how kept on doing the "easy" way, you actually love to mess with your enemies. You like to fool them, to make them feel relaxed. Heh. If I didn't developed that split personality of mine before, I'm pretty sure I have the same mind-set like yours._

Tch. Where's the fun with that? I just want to get my share of thrill in every fight.

 _Still vicious though. Cunning and vicious. You should really try something new, you know. So? Are you satisfied? Did killing this kid made you satisfied?_

To be honest, no. It's just that, I felt like killing him and ending his misery. He doesn't have to take the path that I took.

 _Pft. At least we could agree on something. Make sure you dispose any evidence, will ya?_

* * *

Night soon fell. After disposing of Fifth's body and making it look like he was abducted, I went back to Father's house. Good thing I brought some gloves along. I had to make sure that the forensics wouldn't able to track my fingerprints. Before going back, I mailed Father that I couldn't find the kid, and I have a feeling that he was abducted. I just hope he'll believe that.

The moment the front door swung open, a frantic looking man grabbed onto my shoulders. "Well?! Did you find him?!" Father frantically asked. "No. I did my best, but I couldn't track him down." I replied as I brushed his hands aside and entered the foyer. As I took off my shoes, Yuno approached me with a towel. "You're sweaty, Toshii. Here. Something you could use to wipe off your sweat." Yuno said with a smile. "Thanks, Yuno." I said as I took the towel from her hands and began to wipe my sweat.

Father went around the living room with the same frantic look on his face. "Why are you so worried about him?" I asked him as I sat down beside Yuno. "Worried? Come on, Toshiro. He's a kid! What if he's abducted? What if h-" "To think you'll be this worried about a kid. Heck, he isn't even related to you," I stated as Father felt my cold gaze. My words stunned him for a bit. "I'm pretty sure he's around here or somewhere. Just call the cops," I said as I and Yuno stood up. As Father began making calls, I and Yuno entered the guest room. "You took care of him, hm, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a carefree smile on her face. "Yep. Sorry for not updating you. My hands were full earlier." I said as I sat down on the edge of the queen-sized bed. "It's alright! I was using my diary earlier, so in some case, I was getting updated." She said as she sat down beside me. "Pft. I see. Anyway, let's get some rest early. We're going to leave tomorrow. We're done with that job. I doubt that I'll going to get paid though. Yare yare." I said as Yuno rested her head on top of my lap. "It's alright, Toshii! At least we got rid of Fifth, right?" Yuno said with a carefree tone. "Geez. I still wanted to get paid though. Babysitting is not my thing." I said with a chuckle.

Odd. I feel … bad. I feel bad for Fifth. That kid only wanted to avenge his parents. Maybe I should've went easier on him? Pft. Really now? An evil person like me … is capable of feeling regret and guilt? Bah. Foolishness. That will never happen.


	7. New School, Same Problems

After a lengthy drive, we finally reached Sakurami Condominiums. The moment I opened the door of the unit, a sudden slap on the back of my head caught me surprised. Behind us was a skinny looking guy with a displeased expression on his face. His hair is quite long and you could see a darkish hue underneath his eyes. "Ugh. The hell was that for?" I asked him as I noticed Yuno getting agitated. It's like she's going to attack him or something. I quickly grabbed onto her wrist and let out a sigh. "You made quite a mess back in the Hiriyama Residence." The man said as he entered the unit. "T-Toshii! Why are you letting him in?!" Yuno angrily asked me. "C-Calm down! Sheesh. Is that how you should treat the owner of the unit?!" I frantically replied as I tried to calm Yuno. "Owner … of the unit?" She muttered with a confused look on her face.

After placing our bags aside, I made Yuno sat down in front of the thin looking man. "Still the same blend? Oh yeah, you want some coffee, Yuno?" I asked as I prepared three mugs on the counter. "Yeah, yeah." The man replied as Yuno gave me an affirmative nod. After pouring some coffee into the mugs, I then gave the two their respective mugs. Before, we only had two mugs but I bought one for Yuno last week. "Anyway, is this the girl who's staying over? She's pretty … hostile towards the owner of this place, don't you think?" The man said as he takes a sip of his coffee. "Sorry about that. Come on, Yuno. Apologize." I remarked as I sternly looked at Yuno. "S-Sorry for the trouble …" Yuno muttered with an embarrassed tone in her voice. "Geez. Anyway, what the hell was that about? You killed a kid? Really now, Toshiro?" The man said with a displeased look in his eyes. "Geez. What ever happened to the introductions, aniki …" I muttered. Wait. Did I just called him … aniki?

"Y-You … you found out?!" The man frantically shouted with a surprised look. "A-Ah yeah. I saw the pictures in the old man's office. Seriously. You really tried to look like some professional when you took me in." I stated with a sigh. "A-Ah … well, that makes things easier to explain. I'm … his big brother, his half-brother to be precise. I'm Hiriyama, Kazuto. I go by the name of "Mist" in the underground society, but feel free to call me either." Mist said as introduced himself to Yuno. "A-Ah … I'm Gasai, Yuno …" Yuno meekly said as she introduces herself. "Okay, back to business. Why did you kill a kid, Toshiro?" Mist asked as he shifts his gaze onto me. "How did you found out?" I asked him as I took a sip of my coffee. "Didn't I told you not to burn any evidence? The police could still track you down with the remains of your jacket, you know. Good thing I managed to interfere and got the remains," He replied. "So? Ready to answer my question?" He asked once more as I felt his sharp gaze.

"Would you believe if I say that the kid tried to kill us?" I asked him. Suddenly, he burst into laughter as he heard my question. "W-Wait. Wait. A 5-year old kid, tried to kill you? Are you doing drugs or are you just that delusional now?" Mist asked as he tries his best to stop himself from laughing. "Well, that answered that." I muttered as I let out a sigh. "I-It's true! The kid tried to kill Toshii!" Yuno exclaimed as she tries to vouch for my claim. After calming himself down from his laughing fit, Mist fixes his gaze on us. "Okay, okay. So how did he tried to kill you?" He asked. "See for yourself." I said as I brought a small drawing book, which was the former Fifth's diary. "What the hell is this? A drawing pad? This is pretty odd." He asked as he took the drawing book from my hands and opened it. "T-Toshii … are you going to tell him about the survival game?" Yuno nervously asked me. "Yeah, since we need some information about the other diary users. I want to know their weaknesses and the other things that makes them tick. Didn't I told you? I don't go into a battle blindly." I replied as I gave Yuno a faint smile.

After reading the drawing book, Mist let out a huge sigh. "What the hell is this? The artstyle is pretty much of a kid's, but are you sure he drew thi-" "That's his diary. From what I could remember, he called it the Hyper Vision Diary. Based on what I observed when I read its contents earlier, it shows three events within the day. One during the morning, one during the afternoon, and one in the evening." I said as I brought out my black smartphone. "U-Uh, what? Diary? Didn't that kid draw these drawings? But to think a kid would actually plan to kill a person this elaborately …," He remarked as I placed my diary down in front of him. "So, could you explain what the hell is this diary-thing?" He asked as he placed the drawing book down. "I, that kid, Yuno, the serial killer back in the news, are participants of a survival game. Somehow, the god of space and time picked us and gave us the ability to foresee the future. Well, that ability depends on our diaries." I said as I stood up and opened a nearby cabinet. Inside were the diaries of my previous opponents, namely Third and Sixth. "Foresee the future?" He muttered with a confused look on his face.

"This survival game is a battle royal type. In the end, there could only be one winner." Yuno said as I sat down beside her. "The winner gets to be God. Pretty ridiculous, if you ask me." I commented as Mist began inspecting the diaries. "So … how does each diary differs?" Mist asked as he carefully inspected the contents of Sixth's diary. "Our diaries is based on our personalities. For an example, Yuno here has th-" "The Toshiro Diary! A diary that tells me about Toshii in an interval of 10 minutes!" Yuno cheerfully said as she shows her blue flip-phone to Mist. "H-huh? A diary that tells you about him in every 10 minutes? Does that me-" "Yes. I'm madly in-love with Toshii." Yuno confidently said with a smile as Mist could only look at her with a distraught expression in his face. "That aside, mine's the Death Diary. A diary that tells me the names of the people who are fated to die within the day. It tells me the time, the location, and the ways how that person could die." I said as Mist began scratching his head.

"Alright, alright. I got the gist of things. So, that kid that Father was looking for, was a diary-user, correct?" Mist asked as he placed the diaries aside. "Yeah. Heck, I wouldn't kill a kid for no reason, and you know that." I said with a smirk as I took my diary back from him. "I believe you. I mean, I know how you do things. So, does that mean you'll kill her too, or will she kill you?" He asked as he points his finger to Yuno. I shifted my gaze onto Yuno, who was eagerly looking at me. "Well, I promised her. So that's a yes. I'll be sure to make it painless as possible." I said as I gave Yuno a smile. Yuno simply nodded and held my hand tightly as she rests her head onto my shoulder. "W-What? You promised to kill her? I mean, isn't she … your lover of some sorts? Bah. You guys are weird." Mist said with a confused tone as he let out a sigh.

 **DING DONG!**

The sudden doorbell caught our attention. "Ah. She's here." Mist said as he stood up. "A guest of yours?" I asked him as he began walking towards the foyer. "Yeah. She told me she wanted to talk to me, so I told her to go here since my office is too messy at the moment." He replied as I kept a close eye on the door. She? A woman is visiting him? It's probably his girlfriend or something. As he swung the front door open, I can't get a good look on his guest due to his body blocking my view. "Ah. You're here. Come on in." He said as he moved aside. The moment he took a step aside, the familiar purple-haired woman caught my attention. "Y-You!" Yuno muttered as she quickly stood up, with her stance ready. The woman looked at us with a surprised look on her eye. "I didn't know that you guys were staying here. S-Shit. Was this a trap, eh, Mist?!" The woman angrily snarled as she grabbed onto Mist's shoulder. This woman who's visiting my elder half-brother, was none other than the Ninth diary user, Uryuu, Minene; the famed terrorist that I chose to spare due to the advice from the voice inside my head.

Before I could react, Yuno quickly ran towards the kitchen. She grabbed a nearby knife and ran towards them. Suddenly, she stopped in her track as I sternly grabbed onto her arm. "T-Toshii …?!" Yuno muttered as I carefully looked at our guest. "Manners, Yuno. She's a guest of the owner of this unit. Also, I didn't see our names pop out in the diary, so I have a feeling she doesn't plan on attacking us," I said as I took the knife from Yuno's hands. "Am I right, Ninth?" I asked Minene with a menacing glare with my blue eyes. As I kept my gaze on Ninth, a sudden flick on my forehead startled me. "Oy, stop staring like that. You're spooking my guest. Anyway, Uryuu. Come in." Mist said as he welcomed Minene. "Tch. I know that brat told me that the two of us were your clients, but I didn't know that he was staying in your place." Minene said as she takes off her black boots and approached us. "What's wrong with me staying here? He's my half-brother after all." I said as we kept our gaze on Minene, who passed us. She casually sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. "Ah? Birds of the same feather, I see." She said with a smirk.

"So? What do you want to talk about?" Mist asked as he sat down in front of Minene. "Well, he's already here. I wanted to get some information about that brother of yours, but it turns out I don't have to." Minene replied as she kept her gaze on me. "Pft. Trying to come up with a strategy to kill me, huh?" I muttered as I and Yuno stood in front of her. "I doubt that. Uryuu is … indebted to me. I was the one who managed to smuggle her inside the country, after all. Am I right, my dearest client?" Mist asked as he gave Minene a sharp look. "Tch. Don't get too cocky. I know you're skilled and all, but you're too cocky at times." Minene replied with a sigh. Odd. Looking at these two feels like they've known each other for a while. "When did you meet her?" I asked Mist as I leaned my back against the wall. "Three years ago, I think. Right … I met her when you did your first contract, I presume." Mist replied. "It was pretty funny actually, it was all accident. He was a part of the Yakuza group who was supposed to pick me up. The police managed to trace us down and your brother here saved me." Minene remarked as she gave me another smirk. "Ever since that, we kept a close contact with another. She's a resourceful terrorist after all and she pays well. Speaking of payment …," Mist said as he tilts his head towards Minene in a menacing manner. To our surprise, Minene had a frightened look on her face as Mist slowly made his way towards her.

"You still owe me, bitch. Do you have any idea how much those C2 cost in the black market? To think, you'll use it to blow a middle school. Were you really that determined to kill my brother?" Mist menacingly asked her as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "I-I didn't know! I swear! If I knew from the start, I wouldn't even try to use him to get to Fourth!" Minene frantically replied. "Fourth? Kurusu. Speaking of him, how the hell did you manage to escape the cops during the Omekata Incident?" I asked her as Yuno went towards the fridge to get something to drink. "I escaped. That's all. Hey, brat. Why did you spare me?" Minene asked as Yuno approached me with a cold bottle of cola. "Yeah, Toshii. Why did you stopped me that night?" Yuno curiously asked as I began drinking the cola. "Well, killing off a resourceful opponent at an early stage will make the game rather, boring, am I correct? Think of it, as saving the best for last." I replied with a confident smirk on Minene. To my surprise, Minene began laughing. "Seriously? You're thinking like that? You really are Mist's brother," Minene remarked as she tries her best to stop her laughing fit.

"Okay, okay. How about this? I'll stick with you guys for a while. Does that interest you?" Minene asked which caught our attention. "Huh? Stick with us?" I asked her with a confused tone. "Yeah. Like a partner of some sorts." She replied. "Huh? A partner? Wait. You want a threesome? I don't think that's a good idea, since this girl over here doesn't share." I replied with a blank expression on my face as I pointed towards the pink-haired girl standing beside me. "W-What?! No! What the hell. Are you stupid?" Minene snarled at us with an annoyed expression. Pft. I might as well mess with her. "We have a virgin …," I muttered as I let out a chuckle. "W-What the hell are you talking about? What's wrong being a v- Wait! We're getting out of topic! Geez. I see that you got your humour from your brother," She said with a sigh as Mist began laughing his butt off. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, how about teaming up with me for a while?" She asked. Huh? She wants to be our ally? Well, that's odd. Having a resourceful terrorist as an ally could make things much … interesting though. Like Shaco said before, I could still use her. Heh. Sorry, Fourth but our alliance must come to an end. Well, I don't do well with policemen after all.

"What makes you think that we'll accept? You're a resourceful woman, after all. One of these days, I might find myself as a corpse that was blown apart by your bombs." I sternly asked her as Yuno kept glaring at her. "Like you said earlier, I also want to save the best for last. Taking on the famed Thanatos of the underground society? That sounds way more fun than this whole survival game." Minene said with a smirk. "Pft. I see that we have the same mind-set, huh? Alright. I accept." I stated. "W-What?! Toshii! She co-" "If she betrays us, I'll make sure she suffers. A painless death would be a blessing for her in that case." I remarked as I gave Yuno a reassuring smile. "Tch. You're really serious about this death game, huh?" Mist commented with a sigh. "Sorry if I took that opportunity for granted. Can't be helped, since the God of space and time chose me, and I can't do anything about it." I remarked as I shrugged my arms. "Whatever. Do as you wish, but as your brother, I'll try to dig up some information about the other participants. Don't think I'm doing it for you or Uryuu, but, I just want you guys to be more indebted to me." He said as he stood up. I could only watch him as he went outside of the unit. He's probably pissed that I caught him in this mess.

"Such a tsundere, huh?" Minene commented as she gave me a pat on my back. "W-What? What ar-" "Since we're allies now, how about treating me with some respect, hm? I'm not an explosive 'hag', you know. I'm only in my early twenties!" She said as she pinched my cheek. "Hey! You don't have the permission to touch Toshii!" Yuno annoyingly said as she pulled me away from her. "What? Don't worry. I'm not interested in younger guys. You can have him as much as you like." Minene remarked. "And I'm only physically attracted to you, Yuno. But a threesome would-" "Did you say something, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a menacingly tone as she began glaring at me. "Eck. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Sheesh. So? You'll be staying here too?" I asked Minene, who sat down once again in the couch. "Well, I don't have a place to crash in other that storehouse that I found in the woods. Come to think of it, that place is much quieter, so I'll stay there. I'll come visit from time to time." Minene replied. Hmm. A terrorist and a stalker as my allies, huh? Heh. I can't help but to let out some chuckles as a sudden feeling of excitement swelled inside my mind.

* * *

Time quickly flew by. It's been two weeks since the Hiriyama House Incident. Nothing much happened during the past 2 weeks. Minene, or rather, Nee-sama, a nickname she forced me into using, clearly showed no intentions of attacking us. I carefully planned some scenarios where she could easily attack us, but she never tried to do anything. She might be doing this just to win our trust, but I doubt I'll be comfortable with her as much as I'm comfortable with Yuno. Speaking of Yuno, she's a bit clingier ever since Minene became our ally. I could tolerate it since she's not used of me paying attention to another woman, but seriously, doesn't she trust me when I say I'm only interested in her? Well, physically at most. Ugh. That girl is such a handful. Those girls aside, Mist finally fixed our papers and transferred us into a nearby middle school, since our old middle school is still in ruins. Is there anything else that occurred? Ah. I almos-

 _Doing another monologue, landlord?_

I slowly turned around. Behind me was Shaco who was sitting on a ledge. Come to think of it, I found myself on top of a rooftop in my ever-monochromatic dream world. "I was just talking to myself. Well, actually, I am now. Pft." I replied with a chuckle as I approached him. The black and white cityscape caught my attention as a breeze passed through us. "Heh. So, what do you think about Ninth?" Shaco asked as he kept staring at the landscape. "Do I need to repeat it? I'm pretty sure you heard me talking earlier," I replied with a sigh as I sat down beside him. "Anyway, if she tries to kill us, I'll be sure to-" "She's actually a nice person. She's kind-hearted, but she hates the world so much. Can't blame her. She grew up alone in a dog-eat-dog world after all." Shaco remarked with a troubled tone in his voice.

"Huh? Are you … fond of her?" I asked Shaco with a curious look. "Huh? No. It's just that … after staying here for quite a while and being able to reflect on my previous actions, I just … hate the things I've done to the people who were trying to help me back in the previous world," Shaco replied. "Ninth … was an older sister to me. With Kazuto, they were like the big brother-big sister tandem who were looking after me. In the end … I … I-I took them for granted. I hate myself for doing those things …" He said with a pained expression on his face. "Hey, it's a dog-eat-dog world. We can't do anything about it. You remember our philosophy that we made up after our Uncle tried to kill us?" I asked him.

 _I will never be a pebble stone for someone to step on to achieve their dreams._

After surviving that surprise attack from those hired assassins that my uncle orchestrated, I burned that philosophy into my mind. I hated myself for being a pawn, a living weapon only to be used by him. That's why, I finally snapped when I saw him with a fake expression on his face. He looked like he was relieved when he saw me in front of their house, but in reality, he was furious. His loose end managed to survive his trap and he's in front of him once again. After seeing that expression of his, I lost it. The fury and anger that I was harbouring for him simply erupted. At that same day, I killed him with my bare hands. Ever since that day, I made sure that I will never be used like that again in the future. That's why … I made these walls inside of my heart which stopped me from being attached, from being interested on anyone, but it all changed when that pink-haired girl entered my life.

In the corner of my eye, I saw a pink-haired girl walking on a sidewalk below us. Oddly, the area around her was not monochromatic. She simply passed by and disappeared from a distance. "Heh. She's starting to colour your word, huh?" Shaco remarked as he lets out a chuckle. "What does that mean? I rather have this monochromatic dream-world, thank you." I said with a defeated sigh. "Pft. Take your time. Enjoy your time being with her, alright," Shaco commented as he stood up. As I stared at the consciousness of my first world counterpart, I finally realized why he was so furious at Yuno when she killed him. Since we're the same being, we share the same fear, the fear of being casted away once after we served our purpose. For him at that time, he hated Yuno since he loved her so much that he didn't saw her sudden action coming. At Yuno's defence, she didn't know that she can't bring him back. I'm just glad this apparition of mine has finally come to terms with her action.

"Oh. Before you wake up, let me ask you something." Shaco said. "Huh? What is it?" I asked as I sluggishly stood up. "Within the past two weeks, did you notice something … different in the known participants?" He asked as I stretched my arms. The known participants, huh? Well, I didn't notice anything different in Yuno and Minene so … wait a second. Last week, I talked to Kurusu about a certain topic. He asked me where I was during the week that Houjou, Reisuke was 'abducted'. I simply told him that I was at home with Yuno, which was a lie. During our talk, I somehow noticed that there are times he would sound like angry or he's frantic about something. Odd. Is he planning to do something against us?

"Alright, that aside. I'll spoil something for you, alright? Soon, you'll encounter a certain girl. Sh-" "Wait. Yuno has competition?" I asked with Shaco with a distraught look on my face. "W-What? No. I won't tell her name, or when will it happen, but at the near future, you'll be attacked by this girl. I just want to tell you that she's just like you back then. She's simply following orders to please someone, to make someone important to her to acknowledge her. " He replied with a defeated sigh. "A girl, huh. What? Are you trying to make me spare her?" I asked him with a disappointed look. "Nah. I'll leave that to you. You could spare her, or probably kill her. I just wanted to point something out. Anyway, time for you to wake up, landlord." Shaco said as he waved me goodbye. He suddenly jumped down from the ledge. He suddenly disappeared as his body fell onto the asphalt road. Tch. He's really flamboyant with his entrance and exit. Geez.

* * *

After our breakfast and getting our things ready, I and Yuno exited the unit. We then exited the lobby and began walking towards our temporary middle school. "Umesato Middle School, huh?" I said as Yuno walked right beside me. "Yeah! It's 15 minutes away from our place!" Yuno cheerfully said as she wrapped her arms around my left arm. "So it's quite near." I commented as I let out a yawn. "You're still sleepy, Toshii?" She asked with a worried look on her face. "It's not your fault, alright? The coffee kept me up late. Anyway, we're not classmates, right?" I replied as we kept walking in a steady pace. "Y-Yeah … kinda disappointing if you ask me." She commented with a saddened tone. "Come on. It's just for the day. How about this, let's go out eat somewhere after school." I asked her as I gently petted her head. She happily nodded and smiled at me warmly.

We eventually reached the front gates of the Umesato Middle School. As I took some time checking the middle school's vicinity, a noticed a silver-haired guy from a distance. I felt a curious gaze as our eyes made contact with each other. "Toshii? What's wrong?" Yuno asked as she noticed that I stopped in my track. For some seconds, I stared at the silver-haired boy, while carefully observing him. Is he … a diary user? Why does it feel like I've seen him before? "Ah? Oh. Nothing, Yuno," I replied as I turned around to face Yuno. "What were you staring at?" She curiously asked me. "Hm? An odd guy was star-" As I turned around, the silver-haired boy was gone from our sights. "Hm? He vanished, huh?" I muttered to myself as Yuno curiously looked at me. "Hm? Who vanished?" Yuno asked. "A silver-haired boy. He was looking at us from a far …" I replied. The moment Yuno heard my reply, I quickly noticed an alarmed and agitated look on her face. "Oy. What are you getting mad about?" I asked her as I poked her cheek. "If you see him again, stay away from him, Toshii." She replied as she began walking towards the lockers. Geez. Why is so she upset about? Did she encountered that guy in the previous world?

After walking Yuno into her class, I began walking towards my assigned classroom. I opened the backdoor and began walking towards a nearby empty chair. "Is this seat taken?" I asked a nearby student who was playing with his phone. He simply shook his head and went back playing his game. "Thanks." I muttered as I placed my bag underneath my desk. As I carefully looked at my new classmates, I recognized a black haired student who was sitting in front of my desk. "Hoho. Lucky me. The loner from my previous school is once again my classmate." The student said as he turned his head towards me and gave me a cheeky smile. "Ugh. You." I muttered. The student in front of me was a classmate of mine back then. His name was … Kousaka, Ouji, I think. He's just some son from a wealthy family. He tried bullying me before since I was too quiet, but I didn't paid attention to his petty comments.

"What do you want?" I coldly asked as I glared at him. "H-Heh. Trying to intimidate me, huh? It won't work on a brilliant guy like me," Kousaka said as I noticed a slight shake in his voice. Brilliant? What the hell is he talking about? "Besides, how did a loner like you somehow pissed a well-known terrorist?" He asked as he changed topics. "Beats me. Stop acting so chummy with me. It feels … weird." I replied as I brought out a small book from my bag. "Tch. My brilliant self is giving you some company and that's how you respond? Don't act cool, punk," Kousaka, who's clearly ticked off from my reply, shouted as he stood up and slammed his hand on my table. I simply gave him a cold look and went back reading my book. "Stop trying to act cool! Don't you forget that those people died becau-"

Suddenly, I pushed my table towards him and stood up. "Do you think I'd give a damn about that?" I coldly asked him as my sudden action caught the attention of the other students. "Y-Yeah! They died because of you!" Kousaka angrily replied. Tsh. I really have to deal with this kid? Geez. "Let's make this clear, shall we? Those people, those students and teachers that were caught in that mess, were killed by that terrorist. None of them died by my hands, so stop bitching about it." I coldly replied as I gave him a glare with my cold blue eyes. Ticked off, Kousaka cocked his right arm back. Right before he could throw his punch towards me, a brown-haired girl tried to stop him. "Stop!" She shouted as Kousaka's fist went straight towards me. To respond, I simply grabbed his arm by the wrist and pulled him towards me. My right elbow stopped a few centimeters from his face as his eyes were left wide open. "Stop fucking around with me if you don't want to get hurt." I stated as I pushed him away and sat down back on my seat.

"Geez! It's early in the morning and you guys are already fighting! Do you guys want to have a tense homeroom or something?" The brown haired girl remarked as a light-purple haired girl approached her. Who are these girls? My classmates, perhaps? "My, my. I got a good picture of Hinata earlier!" The light-purple haired girl said. "Geez. You really like taking my pictures, huh, Mao? Anyway, cool down your head, alright? Let's not have a fight in the first day of school." Hinata said as she tries the scold the two of us. Defeated due to his plan to embarrass me back-fired, Kousaka went back to his seat. I simply ignored the girl's words and went back reading my small book.

Homeroom and the morning classes passed like a blur. After receiving a text message from Yuno, who was waiting for me in the rooftop, I stood up from my seat and began walking towards the rear doors. As I stepped outside, someone suddenly pulled my left arm. Surprised, I quickly tuned my head towards the people beside me. The same brown-haired girl from earlier was the one who pulled my arm. By her side was the same light-purple haired girl that was with her earlier. "What the hell? Uh. Can I help you?" I asked her as I pulled my arm away. "A-Ah. Sorry about that! I was just trying to get your attention! Anyway, hi! I haven't introduced myself yet! I'm Hino, Hinata, and this is Nonosaka, Mao!" Hinata replied as she introduced themselves. Mao simply smiled and gave me a wave with her hand. "Tch. Nohiru, Toshiro. So? What can I help you with?" I asked her. "Want to eat lunch with us?" Hinata asked with a smile. Tch. Why are they acting so friendly? It's suffocating me.

"Nah. I'll pass. Someone's waiting for me." I replied as I turned around. Before I could even start walking, Hinata stopped me once again. "Uh … you really don't have to act so cold, you know? I just want to be your friend!" Hinata said as I slowly turned my head to face them. "Come on, Nohiru-san. Come with us." Mao said as she smiled at me once more. Pft. They want to be friends? How ridiculous. They're talking to the wrong person. "Friends? Pft. Not interested." I stated as I pulled my arm away and began walking towards the stairwell. From a distance, I could hear those two commenting on my actions. "He doesn't have to be so cold, you know? With that attitude of his, he'll be a loner till he graduates." Hinata's voice said. Tch. Who gives a damn? I'm fine being alone.

"Toshii! Yuno happily called my name as I entered the rooftop. The pink-haired girl was all alone in the roof top. She was sitting on the concrete floor with our boxed lunches on her side. "Kept you waiting?" I asked her as I approached her. "Not at all! Here's your lunch!" Yuno replied as I sat down beside her. "You made fried karaage, right?" I asked her as she hands me my bento. "Yep! I added some veggies from the salad last night! Oh. Your collar's crooked." She replied as she fixes my collar with a smile. "A-Ah. I didn't noticed that." I said as I gave her a faint smile.

"So, where do you want to go later?" I asked Yuno as we ate our bento. As usual, her meals are superb. Marry me already, will you. "Hmm. Ah! I saw a café earlier! I want to try their parfaits! Aaah! I'm excited! Are you excited, too? Hm, Toshii?" Yuno happily replied. Pft. She's getting excited too much, isn't she? This counts as a date, right? Well, that's probably the cause of it. "Yare, yare." I muttered as I let out a sigh. "Oh. By the way, you almost got into a fight earlier?" She asked as she continued to eat her lunch. Ack. She probably saw it in her diary. "You looked, didn't you?" I asked as I tried to look away. "Well, I can't help it, Toshii. We're not classmates after all, so what happened?" She asked with a curious look on her face. "Well, you remember our former classmate? That Kousaka kid? He tried to bully me earlier, and it kinda back-fired for him." I replied as I continued eating. "Ooooh. Should I kill him, Toshii? To make things easier." Yuno asked with a carefree smile on her face. Pft. Is she serious? "He's not worth our time, Yuno. He's just some rich kid that thinks he's a big shot or something," I replied as I gave her a pat on her head. "But thanks for looking out for me. I won't scold you for your violent way of thinking, but calm down. If we did something that the police could track us down with, that old man will have an upper hand on us. Remember? He has the Investigation Diary." I stated. "A-Ah. I'll keep that in mind, Toshii." She replied as she gave me a nod.

Soon, it was dismissal time. After fixing my things, I quickly took my leather bag and went straight towards the lockers. After changing into my outdoor shoes, I began walking towards the school gates. My pink-haired companion was waiting for me there. "Ah! Toshii! Over here!" Yuno happily shouted as she waved at me from afar. I gave her a wave and began walking towards her. "Hey. Shall we?" I asked as she happily grabbed onto my arm. "Yeah! The café is near the park, so it's a short walk from here!" Yuno happily replied. Before we could began walking, a certain brown-haired girl blocked our way. "Ah! Found you!" Hinata said as she walked towards us. With her was Mao and Kousaka. The moment she began walking towards us, I noticed Yuno grinding her teeth. Does she know her? Why is she acting so hostile? "Huh? What do you want?" I asked her. "Want to go to the park and play with us? It'll be fun!" Hinata replied with a smile on her face. Play in the park? Aren't we a bit too old for that? Well, I'm older than them, so yeah. Come to think of it, that park was in the news last night. The police found some mangled up body parts there. Actually, that's been in the news for a week now. I've seen some entries from time to time, but it never caught my attention. At first, I thought it was another serial killer on the loose, but it turned out to be savage dogs. What the hell are those dogs doing inside the park? Wait. Are dogs capable of tearing a human body limb by limb? Weird. "I don't want to. Besides, I have a date with this girl of mine, so yeah." I replied as I gave Yuno a pat on the head, which made her feel relieved. "A-Ah. I see. N-next time then." Hinata said as she went back to her companions.

After some walking, we finally reached the café that Yuno wanted to try. "Here's the place. H-Hey! No need to drag me!" I said as Yuno happily dragged me towards the entrance. The waiter warmly welcomed us and gave us a vacant table. He then gave us the menu and waited beside our table. "Ah! I'll be having the strawberry parfait!" Yuno happily said. "Hm. I'll have a cup of coffee and a slice of blueberry cheesecake, please." I said as I placed the menu aside. The waiter nodded and went to the bartender for our orders. "I can't wait! The parfait looks good in the picture!" Yuno happily said with a big smile on her face. Times like these reminds me that Yuno is a girl after all. I can't blame her for being excited. It's a date, after all. "Anyway, I noticed you were glaring at my classmate earlier. What's up? Did we encounter her in the previous world?" I asked Yuno. "She's not important, Toshii. From what I could remember, she … she was just a person that ended up dying in the survival game." Yuno replied as she looked away. Somehow, I could feel a vibe of jealousy from Yuno. Pft. There's no need for her to be jealous or be insecure of. After all, I'm not even interested in making friends with her.

"Ah. By the way, how much can you remember, Yuno?" I asked her. "Um … to some extent, I could remember something. I could remember important people and events, but other than that …" Yuno replied as I noticed a slight pained expression on her face. Tch. She doesn't need to force herself, sheesh. "Don't overdo it. Like I said before, I don't need details that could spoil my fun. Relax. Let's not ruin this date of ours, alright?" I said as I held onto her hand. "A-Ah. You're right. What matters is I'm with you right now!" She happily said as she smiled at me with her rosy cheeks catching my attention. "Yare yare. Ah. Here comes your parfait." I said as I noticed the waiter approaching us with a tray in his hands. I was lost in my thoughts as Yuno began eating her parfait. Something is bothering me. The silver-haired boy that I saw earlier, who the hell is he? From what I've gathered earlier, he's a classmate of mine who keeps skipping class. I heard that he loves playing detective or something. Odd. It really feels like I've met him before.

After eating, I and Yuno began walking back to our place. It was already dark when we went outside of the café. "Time sure flies fast when you're having fun, right, Toshii?" Yuno happily said as her arms were wrapped around my arm. "Pft. Good thing you had fun. I thought you'll be bored to death with my nerd talk." I remarked with a chuckle. "Not at all! Oh yeah! I'll be starting Vento Aureo later!" She commented with a smile on her face. "Ah. A fast reader, I see. Sure. I'll ready the volumes later." I said with a faint smile on my face. After a few minutes, we reached the street where we could find Yuno's house. As we passed by her house, I noticed that Yuno stopped in her track. "Hey. Something wrong?" I asked her as I noticed her staring at her home. "C-Can we … stop here for a bit?" Yuno asked. Hm. We're not in a hurry and it's still quite early, so what the heck. "Sure. You have the keys, don't you?" I replied. She simply gave me a nod and approached the gate.

As expected, the insides were dustier than before. "Geez. We really need to clean this place when we have the time." I commented as I dusted off some cobwebs on the foyer walls. "Y-Yeah. We should." Yuno replied. Odd. Why would we stop over when she's clearly disturbed of coming back to this place? "Anyway, why did we stop here?" I asked her as I used the light from my phone as a flashlight. "I … just have to do something. It won't take long." Yuno said as she gave me a reassuring smile. I followed her as she began walking towards the darkness. Soon, I found ourselves by the garden. She took some slightly wilted flowers on the side and approached the three graves. Ah. She's paying respects to them, huh? "Do you miss them?" I asked her as I sat down by the wooden floor of their outdoor hallway. "Not really … it's just … I haven't talked to them for a while. Is it okay?" She replied as she placed the flowers on her parents' graves. Pft. She left the other Yuno out. "Go ahead. Take your time." I said as I watched her from a distance.

* * *

In Yuno's perspective …

After hearing Toshii's reply, I sat down on the ground in front of my parents' graves. It feels … weird to think that I'm here again. After all the things that Toshii did to help me move on from that point of my life, I just find it funny that I'm once here in front of them again. "Hey, Papa, Mama," I said as I kept my eyes on the two graves. "It's been a while since we talked, right? Anyway, I hope you guys liked what Toshii did for the two of you. Ah, right. I hav-" "I already introduced myself to them, Yuno. Also, don't forget this one." Toshii said as I felt his hand petting my head. He sat down beside me and placed a flower on top of the third grave. "A-Ah, I forgot about her …" I muttered as I saw Toshii staring at her grave. "I won't say anything. I already told her that I was sorry that I wasn't there for her when that happened. It's already in the past, after all. Anyway, go ahead. Ah. G'evening, Mr. Gasai, and Mrs. Gasai." Toshii said as he slightly bowed his head towards my parents' graves. "A-Ah. Anyway, yeah. This is Nohiru, Toshiro, Papa, Mama. He's … the only person that I love in this world," I said as I placed my hand on top of Toshii's hand. "He accepted me for I am. He accepted my mistakes, my past crimes, and … everything. He accepted this broken girl and took her into his care. This person … gave me a future when you guys failed to give me one. Papa, Mama … please accept him as he accepted me." I stated as I felt my eyes getting teary. I can't help but to get emotional as a sudden wave of memories from the past weeks flooded my mind. The way he took care of me, the words he would say to get me in line … Toshii is clearly aiming to treat me as a normal girl. He's … really kind in his own ways. He might be cold with his words or actions, but in the end of the day, deep inside, he's a kind guy. I' m sure of it.

As I stared blankly at Toshii's face for a while, a sudden hazy image appeared in my mind. I was caught surprised as a sudden wave of pain surged throughout my body. It feels like my mind is getting ripped apart. I fell on my knees as I held onto my head. "H-Huh? Yuno!" Toshii shouted as he quickly responded to my pained state. "I-It hurts … it hurts …" I muttered as the hazy image inside my head is slowly getting clearer. W-Who is this? Who is this boy inside my mind? Is he … a younger Toshii? No … he looks a lot different. He's more … delicate and shy, compared to Toshii … wait. W-where … where is he?

Where is Yukki?

* * *

Back in Toshiro's perspective …

To my utter surprise, Yuno fell on her knees while clutching her temple. She had a pained expression on her face as she desperately tried to endure the pain coming from her head. "H-Huh? Yuno!" I shouted as I quickly attended to her. What the hell happened to her? A moment ago, she was talking to the graves of her parents, but she suddenly fell down like this. Did she … remember something from the previous world line? "Are you okay?! Hey!" I frantically shouted as she kept muttering that it hurts. Shit. I didn't heard any static from my diary earlier and our names were nowhere to be found in the entries. What the hell is happening to Yuno!? "Where is … Yukki?" Yuno muttered as she fell unconscious. "H-Huh? Yukki …?" I said. Who … who's Yukki? It sounds similar to my nickname. Did she say my nickname incorrectly? Tch. That isn't the time to think of that. I slowly placed Yuno's unconscious body in my arms. I have to bring her inside first and let her get some rest. The hell is happening to you, Yuno?

After a few minutes, Yuno has finally calmed down. She was sleeping soundly on top of a futon that I found inside her old room. I assumed it's her room since there's some female clothing inside the closet which were hers. Luckily, the medicine box in the kitchen had some ample supplies. I took a pain-reliever, some antibiotics, and a bottled water that I found inside the fridge, and placed it beside the sleeping Yuno. Her temperature is pretty okay, but just to be safe. "Yare, yare. You really know how to make me worry, Ms. Gasai." I muttered as I rested my back against the wooden column. Odd. Why am I taking care of her so much? Am I doing this for the sake of my first world counterpart, or am I doing this for her since she's someone … rather attached to me. I don't … know what's happening inside my head. Back then, I don't feel anything like this. I feel like … I'm fond her to a point that I make it a priority to take care of her. Tch. Shaco's right. Sooner or later, I'm going to start feeling this … weird emotions for her. As I stared at the sleeping Yuno, a part of her body caught my attention. Her slender neck caught my eye. It's so … slender that my grip would be just perfect if I would … to strangle her. I haven't … killed anyone for a while. I feel like my bloodthrist is at a breaking point. I'm at my limits, huh? She did ask me to kill her … right? I … Let's try it …

The sudden realization of my dark thoughts stunned me. I quickly gave myself a huge slap on my face so that I could snap out of this trance of mine. Calm down, Toshiro. Calm the fuck down. I know she wanted to die at my hands, but not yet. Now isn't the time for that. I promised that I'll end her torment by killing her at the end of the game. I … should stop this kind of thinking. If this continues, the remains of my sanity will be gone … and so my reasoning. I'd probably go in a havoc and die in a manner that I don't want to. Like I said before, I want to die in a blaze of glory. A death where everyone will love me for it.

 **BZZZZZT!**

The sudden static from our diaries caught my attention. Someone changed the future. I quickly pulled my diary out from my pocket and checked the new entries.

 **June 1 – 19:45pm [Gasai Residence]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-Was mauled down by dogs. His lifeless body was torn apart limb by limb.  
 **DEAD END**

 **June 1 – 19:47pm [Gasai Residence]  
** Akise, Aru  
-Tried to outrun the dogs, but to no avail. He was savagely torn apart by the dogs.

 **June 1 – 19:50pm [Gasai Residence]  
** Gasai, Yuno  
-She didn't stood a chance as the dogs caught her by surprise. She soon followed First's fate.  
 **DEAD END**

 **June 1 – 20:09pm [Gasai Residence]  
** Tsukishima, Karyuudo  
-He was shot in the head by Fourth.  
 **DEAD END**

Four entries caught my attention. Three diary users are fated to die tonight, while this guy, will be caught in the mess. I see. Fourth is starting to make his move, but who's this Tsukishima? That aside, who the hell is this civilian and how the hell will he be caught in between in this fight? Not to mention, I'll be mauled down to death by some dogs, which are probably the same dogs that were killing the people at the park. Seriously, of all the scenarios that I could die, this comes up? I don't hit animals, you know. Tch. Wait a minute … this name sounds familiar. Oh. He's m-

 **THUD.**

The moment I heard a faint footstep behind us, I quickly grabbed onto my leather bag. With one swift motion, I pulled out my cutter with its blade at the ready. I threw the cutter behind me, which landed on the sliding door. Though I missed, that was enough to freeze the person behind us in its track. "Ah. You've noticed, huh?" The voice asked. It's a guy …which is probably the same guy in the recent entry. "Akise, Aru, correct? I saw your name earlier in class." I muttered as I slowly stood up and turned around to face him. His familiar silver hair caught my attention. "Correct, Toshiro-kun. Don't worry. I'm-" "That miss was intentional. I'm giving you five seconds to explain yourself on why are you trespassing. If I deemed your answer lacking, I'll kill you." I coldly stated. To my surprise, the silver-haired boy let out a sigh. "You don't have to be hostile, Toshiro-kun. I am merely got curious and followed you earlier." He replied as he waved a white handkerchief with his finger. "Is that enough to trespass in this property? I don't remember inviting you in." I remarked as I carefully observed him. So far, he's showing no signs of aggression or any malicious intent. Yuno said this guy is nothing but trouble. To think that he managed to sneak in behind me that close without me noticing. Am I getting that rusty or what?

"Calm down, Toshiro-kun. I am your ally. I don't intend to hurt you or that girl of yours over there. To be honest, I am merely seeking refuge." Akise said as he slowly entered the room. "One more move and I'll strike you down," I coldly stated as I glared at him, which he obliged. "You said you're seeking refuge. From what?" I asked him as I carefully went towards the sliding door and took my cutter out. "By my attackers. When I was following you, I noticed they were following me. Hearing some dogs from a distance, I decided to run inside the house and hide here for a while. Please, be at ease. I merely followed you due to the fact that I am interested to know the guy that was a part of the Omekata Incident." He replied as he placed his hands in the air. "Still, that doesn't mean th- Wait. There were dogs that was following you?" I muttered with a sudden frantic tone in my voice. Fuck. This guy is the reason of our death flags?! "A-Ah … well, sorry about that. Shall I-" "I'll deal with you later. If you do something to that girl, I'll make sure you'll suffer by my hands." I coldly said as I rushed out of the room and headed towards the kitchen. Tch. I want to enjoy the thrill of the hunt, but I have to keep them at bay. I need to protect that unconscious companion of mine. Well, time to find out who let the dogs out.

With a kitchen knife at my hands, I quickly went out of the garden. The moment I stepped onto the ground, I noticed two dobermans at a distance. What the hell is that contraption in their mouths?! Tch. I guess that allows them to tear the human body from limb by limb. One bite from those metal fangs, I'm probably done for. After some snarling, the dogs went on the attack and ran towards me. As one of them lunged at me, I quickly evaded it and my knife pierced its neck cleanly. As the first dog fell lifelessly on the ground, the other one tried to bite on my left leg. I quickly jumped back and picked up a stone from the ground. With one quick throw, the stone landed on the dog's head, which made it reel backwards in pain. Before it could even recover, I quickly stepped in and stabbed in its neck. The knife penetrated through its skin as its body crashed down onto the ground due to the weight of my strike. That's two down. How many did our attacker brought along? As I pulled my knife out of its body, I noticed the three figures at the corner of my eye. With one vicious snarl, another dog attacked. Since it's still not in my knife's range, I gave the dog a swift kick. The sudden impact from the metal accessory on its snout made me reel backwards as my right chin pulsated in a pain. "Argh! Fuck. Wrong move." I muttered as the other dogs charged in.

Thinking quickly, I ignored the pain on my right shin and charged in. I have to end this quickly. If those dogs managed to surround me, I'm done for. With swift motion, I cleanly sliced the necks of two dogs as the other one charged right back in. With still some blood on my knife, I quickly evaded its attack and pierced its skull with the blood-stained knife. In a matter of a minute, I managed to kill 5. "Tch. I have to remember not to kick them on those metal accessory of theirs." I muttered myself as I painfully rubbed my right shin. After brushing off the pain, I took a quick glance on my wrist watch. From what I could remember, my death will be at 19:45, which is 5 minutes from now. Pft. Let's see if these dogs are enough to take me down.

One by one, I killed the dogs that were surrounding the Gasai Residence. Soon, their dead bodies were scattered across the garden. I still have a minute to go, but that's probably it. With some deep breathes to calm my nerves, I took a quick look around the vicinity. Though I managed to fend them off, they managed to land some scratches on my legs and arms. Fuck. I probably need a rabies shot after this. Sensing the coast is clear, I squatted in front of one body and inspected its collar. The blackish small speaker caught my attention. "What the hell is this?" I muttered to myself as I took off the collar so that I could get a good look on it. The moment my eyes were distracted by the collar, I failed to notice a rather large dog charging in towards me. I tried to dodge it, but my reaction was short by a second. The dog tackled me onto the ground, which flung my knife out of my reach. I quickly grabbed it by its neck and tried to push it off as it tries to bite me with that metal fang accessory in its snout. I could feel its saliva dripping down onto my face. "Fuck! You're one heavy son of a bitch, huh?!" I shouted as I tried to choke it with my grip. Unfortunately, that made the dog much angrier as it presses its snout closer. I let out a groan as I felt my looming death coming closer. With one arm in the corner of its jaw and neck, I furiously pounded my fist onto its head. I let out a furious roar as I felt the strength on my left arm growing weaker. "Why … won't you … get off me!?" I angrily shouted as exhaustion slowly took its toll in my body. To think I'll die this way ... ridiculous …

 **STAB!**

The dog let out a loud whimper as its body felt beside me. To my surprise, a knife was sticking out from the side of its stomach. I let out a couple of deep breathes to calm myself down. Guess Yuno woke up and saved me, huh? "What took y-" To my surprise, Akise was standing beside me. He was reaching out his hand as a gesture to help me stand up. "Ah. I managed to make it. This house is sort of a maze, you know." Akise said with a smile. Tch. I brushed off his hand and stood up on my own. "I didn't ask for your help." I remarked as I brushed off the dirt from my clothes. "Pft. No need to thank me, Toshiro-kun. It was my responsibility to help you." Akise said with a chuckle. "Good thing you know. Wait. Yu-" "Gasai-san is still sleeping soundly. I tried to follow you, but you were too fast. I merely followed the trail of dead bodies so that I could reach you." Akise said as he hands me the knife. For a second, I hesitated and glared at him. He simply smiled and nudged me to take the knife from his hands. Pft. Easy. With one quick motion, I grabbed the knife frim his hands. I was about to stab him when he grabbed me by the wrist. To my surprise, he flipped me over with a judo flip. My face landed on the ground which left a small bruise on my forehead. After flipping me over, he locked disarmed my right hand and locked it behind my back with his left leg. "Y-You fucker!" I angrily shouted as I tried to push myself up. "Why are you acting so hostile to me, Toshiro-kun? Unlike in the First world, you treated me as an information broker of sorts." He remarked with disappointed tone in his voice. Wait … the first … world?

"W-What … are you talking about?!" I questioned him with a surprised expression on my face. "If you keep me alive, I'll tell you, but for now … we have to deal with our guests." Akise replied as he freed my arm from his grip. As I sluggishly stood up with some pain on my right shoulder, I slowly turned around towards the direction that Akise was facing. By the front gates were two familiar faces. A brown-haired girl and light purple-haired girl stood in front of us with a surprised expression on their faces. Pft. So it was them, huh? Those two who were trying to drag me earlier with them. "Y-You! Nohiru?! What are you doing here?!" Hintata frantically asked as I noticed the orange phone in her hands. "Seriously? Another trespasser? Do people nowadays simply enter uninvited? I bet your parents didn't taught you any manners," I replied as I cracked the air bubbles on my neck and my right shoulder. "That aside, so, who is it? Who's the fucker who let the dogs out?" I coldly asked the two as I slowly made my way towards them.

"He … he's the one who killed all of the dogs …" Mao muttered with a shaken look in her eyes. "Yeah. Almost died earlier. How about I … tell you something about me?" I said as I picked up my knife. "You see … I hate it when people try to kill me in a way I don't want to. Heck, I would let you kill me, but you have to follow my way." I stated with a sarcastic tone in my voice. "W-We weren't targeting you! I was just trying to kill him!" Hinata frantically shouted as she pointed at Akise. "Kill him? Akise. Explain." I said as I coldly looked back at Akise. "Well, well. I'll be honest with you, Toshiro-kun. Hino-san tried to kill me to due to the fact, that her father assumed that I'm a diary user." Akise replied with a smile on his face. "W-What?! You're not?!" Hinata frantically questioned him as her legs began to shake. It's like she realized that they made a bad move and caught me in between their mess. "I was simply snooping around since I saw your dogs coming home from the park to your place. You know that I love to play detective, but you actually assumed I'm a participant of this game?" He replied as I noticed that sheepishly-looking smile on his face. So he lured them to me, huh? He knows I could kill the dogs, so that's why he chose to follow me. Tsh. Resourceful, but it makes me want to kill him more. I'll put my intentions aside first, since he said something … quite interesting.

"Yeah. He's no diary user. I can vouch for that." I said as I placed my attention back to the two girls in front of us. "H-How can you be so sure?" Hinata asked as Mao carefully watched me from a far. "I saw it with my diary. If a diary user is fated to die within the day, there would be a dead end in his entry. His entry doesn't have one." I replied as I readied a reverse-ice grip on the knife's handle and slowly walked towards the two. "W-what … you're a dia-" "You know, I could relate to one of Kujo, Jotaro's lines. In his words, Stand-users are drawn to one another. That's so like us, don't you think? Ah. I haven't repaid you for trying to kill me earlier … but I'll do that once I'm done interrogating you." I coldly stated as I charged in with the knife ready. I could see their legs shaking as I quickly closed the gap between us. Mao tried to shield Hinata with her body, but to her utter surprise, I grabbed her by her hair and pulled her towards me. "W-What? Mao! Let go of her!" Hinata shouted with fear in her voice as I locked my arm below Mao's neck. "I see. She's precious to you, huh? Hey, Nonosaka. Are you screamer?" I asked Mao as I brought my knife closer to her neck. "A-Ah …. W-W-what are you talking about? P-please …" Mao frantically asked as her lips and legs trembled in fear. "I was wondering … what kind of noise you'll make if I slice that pretty neck of yours with this sharp knife." I whispered into her ear which made her whole body quiver. Before Hinata could say something, I brought the knife even closer to my hostage's neck. "Ah, ah. Shout once again and I'll chop her head off. You do care for your precious friend, am I right?" I coldly ordered Hinata, to which she listened to.

"First things first, let's play a game. It's simple. Answer my question and the knife will move farther, and farther away from Nonosaka's neck. Sounds fun, right?" I stated as I slowly moved backwards with my hostage. "P-Please! Just let her go …" Hinata desperately begged with tears in her eyes. "Ah, ah, ah. First question. What number are you?" I asked as I placed the knife inches away from Mao's neck. Like a ticking of a clock, the knife is slowly approaching my hostage's neck per second. "W-what number?! What are you talking about?!" Hinata desperately asked. "Your diary number. Strike 1, Hino-san. Come on, time isn't your ally." I said as I copied the ticking sound of a clock as Mao frantically watched the knife getting closer. "I … I don't know! I'm not the original user of this diary!" Hinata frantically said as she fell on her knees. Her reply words caught my attention. I see … it all makes sense now. When Shaco asked me if I noticed something odd in the previous two weeks, he was pertaining to that certain meeting in Deus' realm. The Tenth diary user asked Deus if he could pass his diary onto a third party, which is probably this girl kneeling in front of me. So … she's the girl that Shaco was talking about, huh?

* * *

… _that she's just like you back then. She's simply following orders to please someone, to make someone important to her to acknowledge her._

* * *

"Daddy issues, huh?" I muttered, which caught Hinata's attention. "W-What … how did y-" "Tsukishima, Karyuudo. That's yours pops, right? He's the Tenth dairy user, am I correct?" I asked her as I stopped my hands from scaring Mao. "Y-Yeah … what of it?" Hinata replied with a shaken tone. Tch. Fourth stole my kill. Well, somehow, my thirst for a thrill is pretty much satisfied for tonight. I killed like, 15 dogs, after all. I have to dispose of those bodies later. "Hm? Are you finished, Toshiro-kun?" Akise asked as I pushed Mao aside. To my surprise, I noticed that her inner thighs were wet with a yellowish liquid. Guess she peed herself out of fear, huh? "I'm done. I got what I wanted. In return for giving me a good thrill, I'll let them live. I'm not saying this since because I could feel sympathy for Hino, that I know what she's going through, but I'm simply doing this due to the fact that killing them, would leave a bad taste in my mouth since I wouldn't get to repay the one who called the shots." I said as I turned around to face Akise. As the two friends cried and hugged one another, a sudden noise from a nearby sliding door caught my attention.

 _Toshii?_

A pink-haired girl stepped out with a sleepy look in her eyes. "Ah. You're awake. Sorry for the ruckus." I said as I approached Yuno. "A-Ah! Blood! Toshii! Are you wounded?! Who did this?!" Yuno frantically asked as she noticed the blood on my long-sleeves shirt. "Ah. That's not my blood. Well, maybe, I don't know. Hey. You know some place where I could get a rabies shot?" I asked her as her eyes noticed the silver-haired boy near us. "You! What are you doing here?!" Yuno angrily asked as she grab the knife off my hands. To her surprise, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards me. "Now, now. Let's not be hasty, pretty lady. I'll let you kill him once I get the information that I need," I said as I looked at Akise, who simply gave me a smile. "We'll have a talk soon, Toshiro-kun. For now, I'll accompany these girls home." Akise said as he approached the two girls who were still kneeling down. "H-Huh? Toshii! Wait … aren't those two y-" "Yeah. From earlier. Don't worry. I already destroyed their will to fight," I stated as I took a step towards the two. Before saying anything, I took a quick glance on my wristwatch. A few minutes before her dad dies, huh? "Oy, Hino, Nonosaka. I'm letting the two of you go under one condition," I said as I threw a nearby collar towards Hinata. To her surprise, I placed my hand on her shoulder and placed my face close to hers. "Don't ever fuck with me, again, alright? One more, I'll be sure to finish the job. Heck, I'll even have your friend over here to join you. So, do we have ourselves a deal?" I asked her. She simply nodded with tears in her eyes.

 **KSHHHHT!**

The sudden noise coming from the speaker in the collar caught our attention. "Hinata." The voice said as it called out for Hinata. "F-Father? I'm sorry … I failed …" Hinata said she as tearfully held onto the collar. "Pft. This is it for me. Someone came in to the residence. He'll kill me any moment now." The voice stated calmly. "W-What?! Father! You have to g-" "Silence! I already accepted this to happen. Next time, try not be naïve, alright? You're easier to fool than a dog," The voice said. "Listen well. Never try to become like your father, alright? Your mother will be greatly disappointed if you follow my steps." The voice stated as Hinata continued to bawl her eyes out. "Ugh. Enough with this family drama. Yuno. We're going in. Akise, for now, I'll ignore the fact you trespassed in this place. We'll have a talk … soon. Deal with those two." I stated as I let out a sigh and turned my back. "First! I know you're there!" The voice shouted as it tries to get my attention. "Fuck off, old man. Letting your teenage girl to do your bidding? That's despicable. Heh. Like me, you're a trash of this society. I have no words for you. Heck, you don't even need to give me any advice. After all, I know things are getting more … interesting after this night." I stated a sinister smile. "Heh. Well said … boy." The voice calmly said.

 **BANG!**

The sudden gunshot shook the two girls. Hinata stayed kneeling, completely motionless for a while as Mao tried to comfort her. Akise simply watched the two as I and Yuno went inside. "First things first. Time to clean up this mess." I said as Yuno followed me towards the storage. "Hm? What mess? Wait. Toshii! Didn't I tell you to stay away from that guy?!" Yuno annoyingly said as she ran in front of me and blocked me. Naggy as always, huh? At least she's back to her usual self. "Pft. Don't worry. I won't completely believe his words. Besides, I'll let you kill him once I'm done with him, so calm down. For now, let's keep him live till I get the information that I need, alright?" I said as I petted Yuno's head. Though she gave me disappointed pout, she reluctantly gave up and let out a sigh. "I trust you, Toshii." She said as she wrapped her arms around me, which actually caught me by surprise. "Hey now. Don't hug me. I smell like a dead dog." I remarked. "No. Still hugging you." Yuno said as she shook her head against my shoulder. Geez. Give me a break, will ya? "Yare yare daze. I'll give you a minute. After that, you stay put while I dispose of the bodies. I just hope you have enough garbage bags." I said as I let out a defeated sigh.

After this night, things are bound to become interesting. Knowing that I'll probably go all out against Fourth and his men is enough to get me all riled up and excited. Heh. I can't wait for the next blood bath.


	8. Vows and Danger

And just like that, two weeks has passed ever since that sudden night in the Gasai Residence. After cleaning up the dead bodies of the dogs who tried to kill me, Mist and Minene suddenly appeared by the front gates. The two helped me to properly dispose of the dead bodies and clean up any evidence that could be linked towards us. Midway of the previous week, Hinata and Mao, who was absent for quite a while, finally returned to class. They apologized for getting me in their mess and promise that they will never anger me again. Pft. That's good, since I dislike killing animals. I don't mind killing people, but killing animals in that kind of manner is another level of low. Heh. Even a psychopath like has his own taste of killing, huh?

I sluggishly sat up from my bed as my alarm kept on ringing. Ah, fuck. I left my phone at the kitchen last night. I carefully removed the blanket that was covering my legs, and gently moved Yuno, who was sleeping soundly beside me. She was wearing my t-shirt after our late night shenanigans, leaving me completely naked. Letting out a yawn, I sluggishly stood up. First, I have to stop that noisy alarm of mine. I was a bit half-asleep as I began walking out of the room. It felt like my other leg was still asleep as I dragged my body towards the countertop, which is where I left my phone. "Geez. I'm awake … I'm awake." I muttered as I grabbed my phone and turned off the alarm. Bah. Why did I left my phone outside the room? Scratching my head, I began dragging myself back towards the room. I suddenly stopped in my track as I heard someone coughing.

I slowly turned my head towards the living area of the unit. To my utter surprise, Mist and Minene were there, staring at me with a shocked expression on their faces. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I went back behind the kitchen countertop to hide the lower half of my body. "A-Ah. I didn't see you guys there. Morning." I said as I tried to shrug off this sudden awkward atmosphere between the three of us. "What the hell, Toshiro?! You made me gag on my coffee!" Mist remarked with a disgusted expression on his face. "Is this what you taught to your younger brother? To walk around naked during the morning?" Minene asked as she looked at Mist with a rather displeased expression on her face. "N-No! Hell no! By the way, why are you naked, Toshiro?! Is that a new trend nowadays?!" Mist asked as he placed his cup of coffee down. "Huh? Of course I'll be naked. I had sex with Yuno last night." I replied. Wait. Ah, fuck. That was a sudden reply. Ugh. Half of my mind is still asleep.

"You what?! What the hell?! Aren't you two underage?!" Mist remarked as my reply left the two shocked. "Well … I can't help it. That girl is pretty … how should say it … uh, thirsty? No. She's rather, affectionate. In both words and actions." I said as I grabbed onto a nearby kitchen towel and wrapped it around my waist. At least now I can cover my junk with his. "Kids these days …" Minene said as she lets out a sigh and places her palm onto her face. "Anyway … I'll catch you tw-" "Wait, you naked beast. Check those stubs behind you. By the counter." Mist said as he brushes off this weird scenario and began drinking his coffee once again. I turned my head around and found some white stubs on top of the kitchen counter. "What this?" I asked Mist as I pick up the two stubs. "Remember when you asked me if I know anyone in that mock-wedding event thing? Well, I managed to get some two VIP stubs which one of my clients gave to me. We dropped by to give it you." Mist replied as Minene continued to eat her sandwich. "Ah. Alright. Thanks. That's later, right? Wait. Are you guys dating?" I asked the two, which made them gag on their breakfast once again. "Strictly, business." Mist replied as he shrugs off my sudden question. "More of a guardian of sorts so that this sexy terrorist wouldn't blow up his little brother." Minene said with a snicker on her face. "H-Hey!" Mist remarked. Ugh. Seeing that it's still early and the event will be around past 10, I'll probably sleep till 8 in the morning. "Anyway … thanks, aniki. Night." I said as I went back inside the room, leaving the two "adults" bickering with one another.

* * *

After our breakfast, we began to get ready for the mock-wedding event later. As Yuno was taking her shower, I was inspecting my wardrobe for anything decent I could wear for the event. Hm. Let's see. Should I wear something simple or should I wear something fancy? "Hey, Yuno! What do you think I should wear later?" I asked Yuno, who busy humming in the shower. "Hm? Anything you feel like, Toshii!" Yuno replied. "Ugh. Thanks." I muttered as I kept looking around in the wardrobe. Oh well. A simple collared shirt and black chinos would do. Come to think of it, it's my first time to go any event such as this. Back when I staying at my Uncle's place, they would go out most of the time while I stayed back home, eating whatever leftover food they could leave me. Oh well. I'm just curious what would this mock-wedding would turn out to be.

After some walking, we finally reached the nearby bus station where a bus would take us to the mock-wedding event. As said earlier, I went with a red-ish collared shirt and my usual black chinos while Yuno wore a turquoise blue denim dress. Pretty simple, but she's rather … prettier like this. More of eye-catching if you ask me. "Hm? Do I have something on my dress, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she looked back at me with a curious look in her eyes. "You're pretty than the usual. Do you have any make-up on?" I replied with a chuckle. "Ah! You noticed! Uh. I applied some light foundation and some lip gloss. Do I look good?" She said with a big smile on her face. "Hmm. I won't lie. Yes you do, pretty lady." I said warmly to Yuno. "Ah! Yey! You liked it! I love you, Toshii!" Yuno happily said as she wrapped her arms around my arm. "A-Ah … yeah. Sure thing." I said as I looked away. She loves me … huh? She really does feel that much for me. Sad that I … couldn't return the same feelings to her. I know I'm sort of attached to her, but I don't feel any strong emotions for her.

 _Not yet, landlord. Soon._

Ugh. Shut it, Shaco. Anyway, we finally boarded the bus. After sitting down in a nearby seat, I can't help but to notice Yuno who's clearly excited. "Ah! I packed some sandwich for us, Toshii!" Yuno said with a smile as she brought out two packed sandwiches from her purse. "Ooh. We could eat that later during the break or something. Pretty excited, aren't ya?" I asked as I gave her a gentle pat on her head. "Of course, I'll be excited! Today's an important day after all!" She cheerfully replied, which caught the attention of the couples behind us. She's probably simply reliving a memory sorts when she went to the same event with this apparition of mine inside my head. Bah. Stop thinking like that, will ya, Toshiro? Let the girl enjoy this day. How about I'll do something different to spice things up, hm? Let's see if this event would be … interesting. I mean, two killers attending a mock-wedding event? I just find that … really something.

After some minutes, we finally arrived at our destination, which was a cathedral on the edge of the city. I won't lie, but I never entered a place like this before. Well, everyone's bound to have their first time about something, right? "Bridal … Fair. Hm." I muttered to myself as I read the nearby sign while Yuno stood beside me with her arms around my arm. We then entered the cathedral with our fellow participants. The moment we set foot inside the lobby, the luxurious design of the walls and the ceiling caught my attention. Odd. Does every lobby of a cathedral look like this? It looks too extravagant. How can you consider this building sacred if it has this over-the-top design? Thoughts aside, I watched Yuno as she runs off to the centre of the lobby. "Ah! Toshii! It looks like we're in a dream!" Yuno happily exclaimed as I followed her with my hands on my pockets. Suddenly, I noticed a faint smile on my face as I watched her run around in circles while enjoying the view of the design of the lobby. I quickly wiped away my smile and went back to my ever stoic state.

In the corner of my eye, I noticed our attendant approaching us. "Hello, young couple! Please, come this way for the start of the event." Our attendant said as she points her hand towards the reception area. As I gazed at our attendant, I quickly noticed her name plate. "Kurusu, Naoko …" I muttered. "A-Ah! Yes? That's my name! Kurusu, Naoko!" Our attendant happily said with a smile. "By chance … are you related to a certain chief investigator in the police?" I asked her as Yuno went back to my side. "Why, yes. He's my husband! A-Ah. Are you guys acquainted by any chance?" She replied. Hearing her reply was enough to leave a sudden smirk on my face. Pft. I found it. I found his weakness. But … now isn't the time to act. Since this event gave me an insight where I should strike if Fourth does try to take me down, I'll be a 'normal' citizen for today. Besides, I can't ruin this day for this pink-haired girl.

After speaking with the attendant, we went inside the reception hall. From the looks of things, we're going to test the food in a wedding reception. I and Yuno sat down in two vacant seats. Within a minute, the event formally started. The waiters and waitresses went around and handed out the set meals that we'll be testing. As our meal arrived in front of us, I can't help but to notice how classy it looks. "Truth to be told, it's my first time to eat something that looks so fancy." I remarked. "Then let's enjoy it, Toshii!" Yuno happily said as she began giving thanks for her meal. After giving thinks for our meal, we began eating our set meal. The caviar and the sliced steak caught my attention. "It's good …" I muttered as the taste of the fine steak lingered in my taste buds. From its texture, I could say it's pan-fried and was placed in the oven for a while so that it'll stay warm. "We're like royalty, Toshii! I'm so happy!" Yuno happily commented as she gave me a warm smile. "A prince and a princess, huh? Pft. Actually, I'm more of a jester than a prince, Yuno." I remarked as I let out a chuckle. "Oh, come on! A princess can't marry a jester you know! A prince is allowed to have a bizarre sense of humour!" Yuno said with a pout. I simply gave her a smirk and continued eating my meal.

After our luxurious set meals, our attendants brought us to the fitting rooms. Inside the reception area of the fitting rooms, we were greeted by an old lady wearing a yukata. After some while, it was our turn for our mock-wedding picture. "Excuse me! Young couple! It's your turn." Our attendant said with a smile on her face. After sitting on the couch for a while, I sluggishly stood up. "Huh? What are these little brats?" The old lady asked as she stared at us. "But you're smaller than us, granny …" I whispered which made Yuno giggle. "A-Ah. It's our turn for the fitting, yes?" Yuno replied as she brushes off her slight laughter. Though the old lady said that we should just simply go home since they don't have anything for Yuno to wear, she began taking Yuno's measurements with her tape measure. Hm. Is she going to make Yuno a dress, or maybe there's a dress that is quite near to her measurements? "Modern or traditional?" I asked Yuno as I watched the old lady take her measurements. "Hm? Come again, Toshii?" Yuno replied with a curious look on her face. "I mean your dress. Are you planning to go with something traditional like a white kimono of some sorts, or go with something modern such as a white dress?" I asked once more. Well, I'm simply asking this so that I'll know what I need to wear to match hers. "A-Ah … um … I wanna go with something modern …" Yuno meekly replied. "Now, please follow me for your fitting, groom." Our attendant said as she pointed towards the male section.

The male section had a variety of coats and ties. I looked around at the racks as I tried to look for something that could spark my attention. "Please help yourself!" Our attendant said with a smile as she stood by the entryway. I simply gave her a nod and continued to look around. Let's see. What should I wear? I never wore a suit before. Should I go with this simple black one? Putting it on, I can't help but to notice how sleek I look with it. But first, I have to change into a formal shirt. Wait. What's the colour of Yuno's dress? Should I take a peek? I mean, I don't want to look like a sore thumb later after all. Ah! I know. How about I ask someone who already went through this? Hey, Sh-

 _Not helping you, landlord. Don't cheat._

What the hell. I'm just asking for the colour of Yuno's dress. You're such a help, you know. While looking around, I noticed the white coat in a nearby rack. Hm. For a change, I could wear something white. I mean … Jotaro managed to pull off the all-white clothing back in part 4, so I could probably do it too. After a while, I finished changing into my mock-wedding attire. I ended up with a white formal shirt with a grey vest on top, a white tailcoat suit, white slacks, a pair of white leather shoes, and a light-blue cravat covering my neck. "Looks decent … I guess?" I commented as I fixed my appearance in a nearby mirror. To be honest, I look rather presentable. You wouldn't expect someone looking this fancy to be a bizarre killer, right? "Ah, groom. Your bride is ready." Our attendant said as she approached me. "Bride … huh?" I muttered as I turned around to face her. "You have great taste for your attire, groom." She remarked with a carefree smile on her face. "Uh. Thanks." I said as I gave her a slight nod and went back to the reception area of the fitting room.

"He's here and ready, ma'am!" Our attendant shouted as she gave the old lady the go-signal. To my surprise, a marvellous looking girl went out of the ladies fitting room. The pink-haired girl had her hair fixed up to a formal manner. She was wearing a white wedding dress with ruffles, white arm garments, and a long white veil. I can't help but to notice that I was smiling as I stared at her. "S-Say something … Toshii …" Yuno nervously asked. "You're beautiful." I replied. This time around, I didn't wipe away the smile on my face. This girl … is actually making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. It's like I have butterflies in my stomach. "R-Really?" Yuno frantically asked once more. "Pft. Lying right now is not an option for me. Read my lips, Ms. Gasai. You, are, beautiful." I replied as I slowly approached her. "Thank you, Toshii! You look nice too!" She happily said as she heard my comment. I simply gave her a smirk as I noticed my cheeks turning red. Ah, fuck it. Let it turn red. It's just for the day, after all. "Excuse me groom, and bride. It's time for your picture." Our attendant said as she pointed at the vacant photo booth.

Yuno sat down on the chair while I stood behind her. I placed my hands firmly on her slender shoulders. "Oh! You guys already look like a married couple!" The cameraman commented. Well, I'm doing my best to make us look like one at the moment. It might sound weird … but I find myself wanting to cherish this moment. This might be one the moments where I could genuinely smile. Weird how this girl could make me feel so contended and satisfied. For a split second, the flash blinded our eyes. "One more!" The cameraman said as he readies his camera once more. Hm. Time to do something crazy. "Excuse mee." I said as I grabbed Yuno by her hands and made her stand up. "Hm? What is it, Tos- W-What? Toshii!" Yuno frantically said with a surprised tone as I suddenly picked her up. "Earlier, you said that you're a princess while I'm a prince, so what's wrong carrying you like this?" I asked her as I placed one of my arm behind her back and one behind her knees. "You really are something … Toshii." Yuno sweetly said as she nuzzled her head against my face while she wrapped her arms around my neck. "A-Ah! Just like that!" The cameraman shouted as he took the picture. Once again, the flash left us partly blinded for a second.

After getting our copies of our mock-wedding picture, our attendant brought us to the chapel's doors. "Time for the final event, huh?" I muttered. Yuno readies her veil and waited for the go-signal from our attendant. "Ah, groom! Come here for a sec." Our attendant said as she nudged me to approach her. "Ah, yes?" I asked her. "Since I find you two cute … how about I give you two a souvenir of sorts?" She asked as she brings out two silver rings from her pocket. "Are those … re-" "It's just some cheap jewellery that we give out to remarkable couples. So don't worry about it. It's free!" She said with a smile. Hm. A wedding isn't complete without the exchange of rings after all. "Thank you. I'll gladly accept it." I said with a faint smile on my face. This would probably make that girl happy after all, so why not? "That's settled then. I'll bring it to the altar later. Goodluck, groom! Chin up! I can see your legs shaking." She said with a giggle. What? Without me noticing, my knees were shaking in a nervous manner. I'm … actually feeling nervous? What the hell. This is just a mock-wedding. There's no … need to be nervous. Ah, fuck. Why am I getting so riled up? "Toshii? You okay? You're sweating." Yuno asked as she looked back at me. "A-Ah! I'm okay! D-Don't worry about me. It's just … hot," I replied as I wiped my sweat away and went back in front of the chapel's doors. "That aside, you ready?" I asked Yuno. "Yeah. I'm ready to be your wife, Toshii!" Yuno happily replied as she gives me a warm smile. Pft. Stop making me blush, woman.

As I stood by the altar, I tried my best to calm my nerves. Shake it off, Toshiro. It's nothing big. It's just a mock-wedding after all. Just a … mock-wedding, right? Someone was playing the piano to set up the sacred mood for our mock-wedding. The afternoon sun gleamed over the chapel's stained glass as I watched Yuno gracefully walk towards the altar with a wedding bouquet in her hands. Her white wedding veil covered her pretty face. As she reaches the altar, we then faced each other in front of the priest. We then took our mock-wedding rings, which were placed on top of a pedestal in between us, and held each other's hands. "Toshii … you're actually nervous." Yuno said with a meek smile. I was supposed to say something witty, but at this point, I could only smile at her.

 _Bride, Gasai, Yuno. Do you take Nohiru, Toshiro as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?_

"Yes. I do." Yuno replied without any hesitation and proceeded to insert my ring into my left ring finger.

 _Groom, Nohiru, Toshiro. Do you take Gasai, Yuno, as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?_

"Do I have a choice? Pft. Kidding. Yes. Yes, I do." I said as I warmly smiled at Yuno. I then proceeded to insert her ring into her left ring finger.

 _With those vows and rings in your fingers, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Groom, you may now kiss the bride._

With those words from the priest, I then lifted the white veil that was covering Yuno's face. She closed her eyes and pouted her lips. Odd. Though we already kissed countless times, this is the first time that seeing her face like this, is making me all giddy. I simply smiled and leaned in closer. As our lips locked with one another, the priest applauded us. "You guys really do have the chemistry. Take it slow, and cherish your young lives, alright?" He commented as he gave me a pat on the back. "Heh. Looks like you're Mrs. Nohiru now, huh?" I said as I gave Yuno a gentle pat on her head. "Yeah … I love you, Toshii!" Yuno said as she suddenly hugged me. "Yare yare." I muttered as I let out a sigh. With this warm feeling inside of me, I simply embraced this pink-haired girl tenderly. Love … is such a strong word. Hearing it coming from her, is shaking me to my very core.

After our mock-wedding, we sat down on one of the sofas at the reception area as we waited for the bus to pick us up. Yuno was sound asleep as she rested her head on my left shoulder. She fell asleep while holding onto my hand earlier. "You must be tired … huh? At least you had fun," I remarked as I rested my head onto hers. To be honest, this event … is actually fun. A different sort of fun compared to the killings and battles, but it's something I could get used to. "Yuno … Pft. I know this might sound weird, but remember what I told you before? That I want to learn how to cherish things? Well, it looks like I'm finally learning how to," I softly said as I gently played with her pink hair. "I cherish these moments where we could spend time like this. I … cherish you, greatly, for teaching me how to properly accept these emotions inside of me. This might be the first time I'll say this after so long but, Yuno … I … I lov-"

 _You guys had a long day?_

I quickly shifted my attention in front of us. Our attendant stood in front of us with a smile on her face. "Ah. Thank you for accommodating us today, ma'am." I said as I bowed my head to show her some respect. "Don't worry about it! It's not every day I get to accommodate a cute couple. It sorta reminded me of my younger days with my husband." She remarked as she lets out a giggle. "Chief is sure lucky to have a lady like you." I said as I faked a smile. Thoughts of this mock-wedding aside, this woman standing in-front of us, is a weakness to Kurusu. I have to make her lower her guard. I have to get some information out of her. "Ah! You sure know how to flatter someone." She commented as she sat down beside me. "Anyway, ma'am. If I may ask a question, I just noticed that the chief is quite frantic nowadays. It's like there's something going on inside his head. Is he okay? Is he doing well?" I asked her. "A-Ah. You noticed, huh? My husband is probably pushing himself ever since … he heard our son's current condition." She replied.

"Current condition? Is he … sick or something?" I asked once again as I gently caressed Yuno's hand. "He has … a heart condition. He was doing fine before, but recently, his condition suddenly took a turn for the worse …" Our attendant replied with a saddened expression on her face. Jackpot. Now I know what Fourth's motives in his sudden actions. I also know where to strike so that I could cripple his will to fight. Heh. It's fun to kill a man, to take all that he had, and could ever have. "I wish your kid a fast recovery." I said as I faked another smile. "Y-Yes. Thank you." She said as she gives me a smile of her own. Sad to know that I have to use you to kill your husband in the near future.

We were a few metres away from Sakurami Condominiums when I noticed some men wearing suits by the lobby's entrance. "Hm? Toshii?" Yuno muttered as she noticed I stopped in my track. Tch. He's starting to make his move, huh? "Detectives." I muttered as I kept on holding onto Yuno's hand. Without hesitating, Yuno quickly pulled out her diary. "They're … planning to arrest us, Toshii. They're going to bring us to the station." Yuno exclaimed as I recognized one the men. Kurusu's assistant is here, huh? Heh. He's actually serious about this? "Listen. Whatever happens, do not do anything against them. Let me take care of this." I whispered as one the men noticed us. Thinking quickly, we began backtracking to a nearby alley. "But, Toshii! I want to protect you too!" Yuno frantically said as I noticed the detectives following us. "Attacking them will be considered as a crime. That's Kurusu's goal. I'm pretty sure he already has a record of me in his diary, since he's going on the offensive. If he does succeed, that'll place us in a greater disadvantage." I stated as we stopped in the middle of the alley.

The alley was dark and the faint light coming from a small light bulb was the only light source inside of it. In a matter of seconds, the detectives appeared in the entry point of the alley. "A-Ah! Nohiru-kun! We didn't mean to alarm you!" Nishijima said as they slowly approached me. "Oh? Chief's assistant. So? What do you want from me?" I asked him as Yuno stood behind my back. "Chief asked me to bring you the station. He said it was urgent." He replied as I heard a faint clink coming from his back. Handcuffs, eh? "And what if I decline? I mean, come on. We just came home from a date. Can we at least do this tomorrow?" I asked him as I tried to lower their guard. "No can't do, Nohiru-kun." He replied. Letting out a sigh, I slowly walked towards them. As one of them tried to cuff my hands, I quickly stepped aside and landed a solid straight on his face. As the detective tumbled backwards, his fellow detectives were alarmed by my sudden violent action. "Nohiru-kun! Stop! Doing this a c-" "A crime? Heh. I already have a record with the chief, so why even to talk me out of this?" I asked him as the detectives tried to apprehend me.

One by one, I thwarted their attacks. With every counter I did, I made sure that my attacker wouldn't stand up for a while. Seeing the detectives fighting back, looks like I have no choice. I was trying to go non-lethal with them, but what the hell. I might as well leave a message. "Get him!" One of the detectives said as they tried to fight back. I can't help but to smile from their futile attempts. What the hell? Are they even trying? This this time around, my attacks landed on their vital spots. One of them tried to hit me with a pipe, but I effortlessly evaded it. With one killer straight to his throat, my attacker fell lifeless on the pavement. One tried to retaliate, but I simply dodged his attacks and grabbed him by the neck. The sound of his neck snapping echoed throughout the alley as his body fell onto the pavement. "T-This kid … is a monster!" One of them shouted as they started ran away. Before Nishijima tried to pull out a gun, I quickly closed the gap between us. I pushed his hand aside and grabbed his wrist. I kicked him on his abdomen, which sent him reeling backwards. To his surprise, I managed to steal away his pistol from him.

 **BANG!**

Nishijima's eyes were left wide open as the bullet grazes his right cheek. "That was intentional." I said as I threw the pistol towards Yuno. The pistol landed on the pavement near Yuno's feet. "W-Who … are you?" Nishijima asked with a shaken tone. "They call me … different names. They call me a monster, a living weapon, a grim reaper … but I'm pretty sure you know the name, Thanatos … right? I mean, you tackled my case before." I replied as I noticed a nearby body trying to stand up. With one ruthless curb stomp, the remaining detective's head was smashed onto the pavement. "Y-You! You were Thanatos all along?!" Nishijima frantically asked more. "What? You didn't expect it? I was just playing with the two of you when the Fourth asked me to cooperate with him. Now I have what I need, I don't need to hold back any longer," I coldly replied as I slowly approached him. As I placed my hand onto his shoulder, I felt a sudden shiver in his body. "I left you alive since I need you to relay a message for me. I'm pretty sure Fourth is waiting by the police station. Tell him … if he wants a war, he better be ready for a bloodbath, since this grim reaper is rather, thirsty for blood." I stated as I gave him a sinister smile.

 **BZZZZZZZT!**

After Nishijima runs off, I approached Yuno. "This is bad, Toshii! You ha-""I have a death flag, right? I got it covered so don't worry about it," I said as I took a nearby pistol and hid it behind my back. "Go to Aniki's office. I need you to make plans with him. Find out where Kurusu's son is located. We will strike there." I said as Yuno shakily held onto her diary. "I can't leave you to fight the police alone, Toshii! I want to protect you!" Yuno annoyingly shouted. "Yuno! Listen! This is the best course of action right now! By now, Fourth's diary is tracking my actions. If you stick with me, we'll definitely die within the night. I need you, to make plans with aniki and Minene while I distract them," I sternly said as I placed my hands on her slender shoulders. "Please. Don't let your emotions cloud your thoughts. If we want to get out of this scenario alive, follow my orders, alright?" I softly said as tears started to form in Yuno's eyes. Geez. She's such a crybaby. With tears in her eyes, she simply nodded and embraced me tightly. "Don't worry. I don't intend to make you a widow so soon. I don't have any plans of dying tonight." I said as I gently kissed her forehead. Trust me on this one, will you, Yuno?

"You sure know how to invite a criminal, old man." I said as a number of police men with guns welcomed me in front of Sakurami Police Station. "Finally showed your true colours, huh? Thanatos." Fourth coldly said as he stayed behind his men. "Of course. I got tired of being friendly and obedient to the likes of you." I said as I ready a smoke canister behind my back. At this range, I'm an easy target for his men. If they want to kill me, I'll give them a hard time. "Surrender and I might consider keeping you alive." Fourth said as his men ready their arms. Hearing his words, a sudden laughing fit came out of me. His men were stunned. This teenager who's standing in front of their guns, is laughing his ass off. "S-Surrender? Are you serious? You're that cliché, eh old man," I said as I gave him a sinister glare. Fourth noticed that my other hand was behind my back, but it was too late. The smoke canister landed on the ground and smoke came out immediately. "Fire!" He shouted. As expected, I quickly went to a prone position as the policemen began shooting towards my direction. As the bullets went by me, I pulled out another grenade from my pocket and primed it. As the policemen were busy trying to shoot me down, they failed to notice the frag grenade that I rolled towards their direction.

 **BOOOOM!**

As the smoke cleared out, a large number of the policemen were injured. Some of them were killed by the blast, while Fourth was injured as a blast shard managed to hit him. I slowly stood up. The sound of something dripping caught my attention. Ah. That's why my left arm felt numb. A bullet managed to pierce through my left arm earlier. Fuck. Well, I was slow. "T-Tch. You brat …" Fourth angrily said as he sluggishly stood up. "Ahh. You don't know how much I'm thrilled right now, Fourth," I said as I began laughing hysterically. This feeling inside of me … there's no doubt it. The shackles that were bounding my actions into a lesser extent are slowly getting unhinged. I could feel it … the thrill that I've missed so much …

"This is … the greatest high!" I shouted in glee as I began drilling my temple with my left index finger as blood slowly dripped down onto my face.


	9. End of the Line

During a certain contract a few years ago...

 _Oy. Toshiro. Stop spacing out!_

The sudden voice in front of me snapped me out of my half-asleep state. The man in front of me clapped his hands, which made my attention focused on him. "Stop being so nervous about these things. Isn't this your sixth contract already?" The man asked as he approached his desk. This is … my sixth target already, huh? In a matter of months, I've already killed dozens of men. During my first two, I strictly killed only my target, but during the third contract, I had to kill 15 men, excluding my target, so that I could escape from that building. Ever since then, I kept killing people aside from my target. Heck, I even got some civilians involved. Why … do I feel so alive whenever I held onto the trigger? Why do I enjoy … those moments when the people around me are dying one by one?

"For your next contract, I'm teaming you up with a prospect of my co-worker. He's a bit older than you by a few years. I know this is your first time to team up with someone, but try to get along, will you?" The man stated as he sat down and began typing on the keyboard of his laptop. "Y-Yeah. Can you debrief me again, uncle?" I asked him as I took out a small canister filled with pills. I'll … be needing this once again later. "You sure do love your sugar pills, huh? Gives you that placebo effect of sorts? Anyway, get this folder on top of my desk." He replied. Whenever I need to calm myself down, I take a handful of these sugar pills. The sugar rush that happens in my system slowly calms me down. It's pretty helpful during stressful scenarios.

I slowly stood up and took the file on top of my uncle's desk. I sat back down and began examining the file. "Mizukuchi, Kei …" I muttered as I read my next target's name. "He's a leader of a small yakuza group who's using the Hiriyama name to shame. Our information brokers saw him dealing with some mobsters. Your father … asked me to take him out. He's well-guarded at all times, that's why you need a partner this time around. By the end of the week, we need him dead." Uncle stated as he continues typing. "Does two young assassins fit the bill on this one? I mean … I'm not the heavily experience on these things. How could we pull this off whe-" "Are you saying that I didn't train you enough, hm, Toshiro?" Uncle asked with an annoyed tone in his voice as he gave me a sharp glare, which sent shivers down my spine. "N-No. Not at all, uncle. It's just … is it possible for us to pull this off? Don't we need more men?" I replied. "No. The two of you will do. If you're doubting your skills that much, don't worry. Your partner has been in the business for 6 years already. He was at your age when he joined his father in this business. From what I've seen, his track record is flawless." Uncle remarked.

 **KNOCK! KNOCK!**

The sudden knock on the door caught our attention. "Ah. That must be him." Uncle said as he stood up and approached the door. As he swung the door open, a rather violent-looking young man entered the room. He scratched his spiky dark-brown hair as he kept chewing on a gum. "Welcome, Arashi. Come on. Take a seat." Uncle said as he nudged the young man to take a seat beside me. In our business, we have certain nicknames. For me, I was named Kage, which means shadow, for my stealth kills. "So? This is Kage I presume?" The young man asked as he sat down beside me. He crossed his legs and his sharp green eyes examined me. "A-Ah. Nice to meet you. I'm Kage, your partner for this c-" "Stop with the pleasantries. I don't intend to be chummy with you, kiddo," Arashi remarked as he averts his gaze onto Uncle. "This kid really got the Kage title? His looks doesn't show it. He looks too … green, a newbie of sorts." He commented as he brings out a packet of cigarettes. "He's pretty resourceful for his age. Even though his 13, he's pretty good when it comes to strategizing and making plans." Uncle said. His sudden praise surprised me. It's not every day he praises me. Come to think of it … he only praises me in front of his co-workers. "Oh? Let's see about that." Arashi said as he looked at me with a curious look in his eyes while he plays with his packet of cigarettes.

A week soon passed. After our scouting and planning, the day has finally come. The death of Mizukuchi, Kei, will be orchestrated by two young assassins from the underground society…

"Tch. I hate the rain." Arashi said as we stood by shadows inside of an alley as we await our target. Our target loves going to strip clubs such as this one in front of us. We tailed him from his workplace earlier and ended up here. His men followed him inside, which will give us a hard time if we were to go inside and take him down by force. We have to play the waiting game and pick them off one by one. "Ironic that your nickname is Arashi though." I said as I hid behind a dumpster, which is adjacent to my partner's hiding place. "Tch. Smartass." He commented as he brought a cigarette and began smoking in his hiding place. "The possible ways that this contract could go are one, we storm the strip club and them out, which is too risky; two, you go inside and lure them out in the open. Once his men arrive here, we'll simply shoot them down. That could work but it'll make too much ruckus and draw the cops; Three, we wait here and flatten their tires, which we already did, and strike when their trying to leave the premises." I stated as I took out my trusty Beretta 92.

"I see that you already made scenarios in that phone of yours, huh? Pft. Fucking nerd. You don't need to jot down everything that could possibly happen." Arashi said he puffed out some smoke from his cigarette. "This is … a habit of mine. Creepy isn't it?" I asked him as I checked my ammunition. I have two magazines for my Beratta and have a suppressor just to be sure. Arashi on the other hand, has a micro SMG in his hands and a machete that was hooked on his belt. "As planned, I'll take the front while you flank them." Arashi said we heard the sudden laughter coming from the entrance of the strip club. To our surprise, two police cars pulled up in front of the club. "What the hell?! What are the cops the doing here?" I frantically asked as our target was approached by a policeman. From afar, I watched our target hand out a thick-roll of money to the policeman, which he accepted with a big smile in his face. A bribe, huh? "What's your call? I never faced policemen before …" I asked my partner, who spat his cigarette onto the concrete walkway. To my surprise, he suddenly sprang out from his hiding place.

 **BRRRRRRRRRRT!**

The sudden hail of bullets caught our target surprised. Unluckily, my partner didn't manage to kill our target, but was able to kill some his men. "W-What the he-" Start moving, ass swipe! I'll keep them busy!" Arashi shouted as he kept showering them with a hail of bullets. The policemen, who were still alive from my partner's surprise attack, took cover behind their sedan and began shooting back. As our target ran towards a nearby alley, I don my hood and quickly followed them, leaving Arashi behind. The sound of my footsteps on the wet concrete walkway echoed throughout the alley as the sound of gunshots filled the air. In a matter of seconds, I caught up with my target, who was accompanied by a handful of men. As his men turned around to face me, I quickly shot three of them down. As they began shooting at me, I quickly took cover in a nearby corner. As their bullets grazed the concrete edge of my hiding spot, I quickly pulled out my canister and took some sugar pills to calm myself down. To my surprise, the sudden mix of my sugar and adrenaline rush filled my mind. The sudden gush inside my system filled my body as I sprang out from my cover and began shooting my target's bodyguards down. In an instant, two of his men went down. The remaining three stood their ground as my target went behind a cover.

"Kill him!" One my attackers shouted as a bullet grazed my right rib-section. The fire-fight was intense. With my last bullet, I sprang out of my cover and shot down my remaining attacker. In a matter of a few minutes, the dark alley was filled with the corpses of the dead bodyguards. I kneeled down in pain as I noticed the bullet point entry on the left-side of my abdomen. "F-Fuck … those fuckers got me …" I muttered as I tried to apply some pressure on the wound. As my attention was focused on my wound, I failed to notice the footsteps behind me which were muffled by the heavy downpour of raindrops. Before I could react, a sudden smack on my face sent me flying. My body toppled down as I felt numb all over my body. My blood was trickling down from my nose as my attacker slowly approached me. With my hazy vision, I noticed the bloody pipe that he was holding. "Punk. You really think you have what it takes to take me down?" My target asked as he stopped in front of me. "N-Not yet!" I shouted as I tried to grab onto my gun, but a solid whack on my arm stopped me. As I shouted in pain, my target gave me another whack, but this time around, it landed squarely on my stomach. The mixture of blood and spit spewed out from my mouth as I began to slowly lose my consciousness. "So … let's get a good look on your face before I smash it into bits." My target said as he grabbed me by the hair. Suddenly, I noticed a surprised expression on his face. "Y-You … you're the b-boss' ki-"

 **BANG!**

The sudden gunshot startled me. Blood and brain matter spewed out from the hole on my attacker's head. His body lifelessly fell down on top of mine. "W-What … who killed him?" I muttered to myself as I sluggishly pushed his body aside. "Rule number 1. No partner of mine dies. Don't ruin my track record, will ya?" The nearby voice said as I heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. In front of me was Arashi whose clothes were stained by red crimson. "Y-You …" I muttered as he approached me. "Good work distracting him. Gave me an easier time to sneak behind him," He said as he holstered his Glock 17. "Anyway. Stop fucking around and come on. Are you going to die from those wounds?" He asked. Hearing his words, I suddenly realized something. This pain that I'm feeling right now … is nothing compared to the pain that I endured every night as my Uncle trained my body. I sluggishly stood up while clutching my bullet wound. "If you're going to die, you might as well go out with a bang, right?" Arashi said as he inspected our target's personal belongings. "H-Heh. Right …" I muttered as I leaned my back against the concrete wall. "Hm. Anyway, we leave the bodies for the undertaker." He said as I pulled out a small blade. With one clean cut, he sliced off the ring finger of our target. "Here's an advice. If you plan to kill your target and get out alive, don't hesitate. When I saw you shooting earlier, you weren't shooting to kill them. You were simply trying to disable them, correct?" He asked. "U-Ugh … you noticed … huh?" I mumbled as I tried my best to keep awake. "The world is cruel. Everyone's only looking out for themselves. Me? I'm keeping you alive due to my philosophy." He stated as he placed his arm behind me. "W-Which is?" I asked as we began walking away from the crime scene, with him supporting me.

 _No partner of mine dies like a cornered rat._

* * *

"Come on, Fourth. I thought you're planning to kill me?" I asked as Fourth began dragging himself to a nearby wall. The remaining policemen that were stationed inside quickly ran out with their guns at the ready. "Tch. I never knew that trying to subdue the famous Thanatos was this hard. I was planning to take you as a hostage so that I could kill off Gasai and probably Ninth." Fourth said as he pushed himself up. The shrapnel from the frag grenade were sticking out from his torso. The only thing that was quite injured was his left ear. "Oh? Are you challenging me, old man?" I said as I took out a Glock 17 and began walking towards a nearby body. "Take him down!" Fourth shouted as his men began shooting at me. I quickly brought up the dead body with my left arm and used it as a meat cover. Due to the bullet wound my left arm, I can't fully use this numb arm of mine. As a bullet passed through near my eyes, I quickly ran to a nearby plant box for cover. As the men began reloading, I sprang out and began shooting back. One by one, they fell, but at this rate, I can't kill them all. By this time, Yuno's probably with aniki and Minene. Time to fall back, I guess. I already finished my first objective, which was to make a ruckus in the station. Now their attention is clearly on me, I can buy Yuno some time. I have faith in my guardian's planning capabilities.

After shooting another policeman dead, I quickly sprinted away from the station. A few meters away from my original position, a bullet suddenly pierced through my left shoulder. With a pained expression on my face, I caught a quick glance on my shooter behind me. Somehow, Fourth managed to brush off the pain from his wounds and shot me with his revolver. With the policemen behind me, I kept on running to alleyways to get them out of my trail. After some close encounters, I finally managed to outrun them. As I leaned my back against the wall, I took out my handkerchief and wrapped it around the bullet wound on my left shoulder. Unfortunately, it's not enough to cover the whole wound. "Fuck. I'm leaving a trail." I muttered to myself. I took out my phone and checked my mails. Ah, fuck. I'm running low in batteries. Okay, think, Toshiro. Fourth's wife said that their child has a heart condition and his condition worsened. He must be admitted to a hospital or something. The nearest hospital here is the Sakurami General Hospital. He has to be there. I'm taking my chances. I have to reach that place somehow.

After two hours of sneaking around and hiding from the cops, I finally reached the premises of the hospital. "S-Shit … I'm bleeding out …" I muttered to myself as I felt my exhaustion slowly taking its toll. Though I'm a bit light-headed, I kept on sneaking around. I … have to hide somewhere and get these wounds fixed. If not, I'll probably bleed out to death. I can't die like this. This is pathetic. The same people who I killed countless times managed to wound me like this. Along the way, I used my handkerchief to stop my blood from trickling down, thus I managed to stop leaving a trail behind me. At most, they could follow me till that alleyway earlier. "Yare yare daze …" I muttered as I reached a shed behind the hospital. This place … will do. With some whacks from my pistol, I managed to destroy the padlock that was locking the door. I sluggishly pushed the door open. Inside the storeroom were some shelves and some old hospital supplies. After closing the door, I began looking around for any clean piece of clothing that I could use and probably something that I could use to clean my wounds.

After a while, I stumbled onto a first-aid kit which was behind a shelf. Inside were some supplies that I could use. As I took off my blood-stained shirt, I began treating my wounds. Though the disinfectant is not the many, it'll probably do. After cleaning my wounds, I have to stop bleeding with something. Fortunately, I found a packed-syringe on one of the crates. With some thread that's inside the first-aid kit, I sealed off my bullet wounds. I felt a bit stingy from pricking my skin with the syringe needle, but I brushed it off. Good thing none of the bullets lodged inside or things would be messy. Now, time to look around for some antibio-

 **SLASH!**

Suddenly, I heard someone grunting for air outside of the shed. I quickly grabbed onto my pistol as I heard someone opening the door. If I shoot now, the security inside the hospital will be alarmed. I don't know to what extent Fourth's diary is capable to foresee, so I have to play safe till until then. I can't believe he somehow managed to survive that blast earlier. As the door slowly opened, I positioned myself behind it. As a silhouette peeked inside the shed, I pushed the barrel of my pistol behind its head. "Hands up." I muttered as the person stopped in its track. The shed was dark so I can't clearly this person's face. I grabbed the person by the neck and pushed the person towards some crates. As the person crashed onto some crates, the faint lightning coming from the moon illuminated her. To my surprise, it was none other than Yuno, who was holding a small black duffle bag.

"Y-Yuno?! Ah, shit. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!" I frantically shouted as I threw my pistol aside and ran towards her. "O-Ouch … Are you okay, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she pointed towards my left shoulder. "Forget about that. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" I replied as I helped her stand up. "Y-Yeah. My butt hurts from the fall, but I'm okay. I brought you some clothes and some things we could use!" Yuno said as she brushed off the dust on her clothes and placed the duffle bag aside. "Oh? You're holed up in here?" A familiar feminine voice asked behind me. Behind me was Minene who had a green knapsack behind her back. "You came along?" I asked her as she dragged along a dead body inside the shed. From the looks of things, the man was a security guard or something. His throat was slit open. "We killed him earlier. He was about to call Fourth when we arrived." Yuno said as she opened the duffle bag, and brought out some clothes. "Don't worry. I did it. I still have a record in Fourth's diary, so I might as well be the one to kill the guard." Minene said as she locked the door. "Ah. I see. Anyway, where's aniki?" I asked them. "Your brother stayed behind. He's making sure that after this mess, the police wouldn't have any evidence against you." Minene said as she sat down and opened her knapsack. Inside were a large number of C2 explosives. Mist probably provided those things to her.

"He's cleaning up the loose ends? Well, they didn't get a good look on my face, but I doubt that's going to be an easy job for him. Anyway, what's the plan?" I asked them as Yuno began bandaging my left shoulder. As Yuno wrapped a clean bandage on my wounds, I can't help but to feel woozy from the blood lost that I suffered earlier. "Ah! Toshii!" Yuno shouted with a surprised tone in her voice as I suddenly stumbled sideways. "I … I'm okay. I just lost a lot of blood earlier … so I'm a bit … anemic at the moment." I stated as Yuno helped me sit back up. "Pft. You really made a ruckus earlier, huh? The entire Sakurami police force is hunting you down right now." Minene remarked as she took some of her explosives and began moulding it. "That shows that I was successful. Anywa-" "No. Before we talk about our plans, you need to eat first, Toshii! You need to replenish the blood that you lost earlier!" Yuno sternly said as she finishes bandaging my wounds. Defeated by the stern look that Yuno was giving, I let out a sigh and obliged to follow her order. She then smiled and brought some boxed meals out of the duffle bag. "We packed them in a hurry, so it's a bit messy, Toshii. Also, don't eat that much, alright? We need to save up till tomorrow." Yuno said as she began feeding me. "Tomorrow? Wait. I can eat by myself. My dominan-" "Ah, ah, ah. The patient has to remain still while his personal nurse is taking care of him, right? Geez, Toshii. At least let me do my wife duties." Yuno remarked which made Minene blurt out a sudden laughing fit. "Seriously, you guys are so interesting. You're practically at your young teens and you're acting like this? Do teenagers nowadays mature that fast?" Minene commented as she tried to brush off her laughing fit and continued with her preparation. I ignored their words and simply kept on eating whatever Yuno fed me.

"So, now that I'm done eating, how about we talk about our plan, hm?" I said as I drank some antibiotic pills for my wounds. Hearing my words, Minene brought out a rolled-up map from her green knapsack. She unrolled it and placed in between the three of us. It was a detailed floor-plan of the Sakurami General Hospital. "Your brother is one hell of an information broker. He managed to get these amount of information within an hour. Anyway, here's the drill," Minene said as she pointed at the west-wing portion of the hospital. "Based on the records that your brother collected, there's a certain patient with a heart condition in the west-wing. He was admitted here a month ago. Our opponent, Fourth, made some recent visits to this patient. It's safe to assume that this patient is our primary objective." She said as she took out a red-marker pen. "Your brother said that we'll use his son as a hostage." Yuno said as she scooted closer towards me. "Worst case scenario is that Fourth will not cooperate with us. If that happens, that's where I come in." Minene said as she began marking positions throughout the floor plan. "I'll plant explosives in these places. We'll use the other patients as our bargaining chip." She said with a snicker on her face. "If Fourth does cooperate, we'll force him to give out any information that could be linked to the Survival game. After that, we'll kill him. How does that sound, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a curious smile on her face. "Hm. Pretty dirty and underhand. I've used hostages before, so I don't any complaints on this one," I replied as a sudden thought entered my mind. "Also, if Fourth plans to use the entire power of the Sakurami Police force, there's a big possibility that he'll use the SAT against us." I remarked as I crossed my arms. "The SAT? Hm. You have a point … we're going to have a hard time if they showed up." Minene said as she nodded to my words. "If that were to happen, I need you to plan explosives in these hallway. I'll take care of them." I said as I pointed at a hallway at the west-wing. My last encounter with the SAT left me this scar on my right arm. Those guys managed to fend me off to a point that I had to retreat. If those people are involved in our battle … I guess this fight will be the very best that I had.

"Anyway, did aniki sent me my things?" I asked them. Hearing my question, Yuno brought the black duffle bag closer to me. She takes out two leather vambraces with this familiar looking mechanism underneath, my old Beretta 92 and some ammo, my black combat vest, and some grenades. Oddly, he sent me smoke grenades instead of frags. "Hm. No throwing knives?" I asked Yuno as I began tinkering the mechanism underneath the vambraces. Wait a minute. Isn't this my old hidden blades that I developed back then? To be honest, I just copied a design in the internet. I tried it once, but it failed miserably. When I tried to kill my target with this contraption, instead of piercing his flesh, the blade was pushed back inside its cartridge. After that near-failure, I never again tried to use these two. I don't remember placing them underneath these blackish-brown leather vambraces though. Did aniki tinkered with these while I was busy trying to lay low? "Your brother told me that your throwing knives will be ineffective in this battle. Also, he told me that he fixed the problem with your hidden blades. You should try it out, Toshii." Yuno replied with a smile as she pulls out a change of clothes for me. After adjusting the straps on the vambraces and placing the ring-trigger system in my two little fingers. With one flick of my wrists, the blade came out. "Hm? Same as before …," I muttered as Yuno watched me practice some swings and slashes with the blades. Curious, I positioned myself in front of a nearby crate. I cocked my arm back and ready myself to stab the crate. To my surprise, the blade easily pierced the wooden crate. The impact didn't push the blade back inside its cartridge. "I see … He fixed the locking mechanism, huh?" I said with a satisfied smile on my face. A sudden thought entered my mind as I stared blankly at my blades. Do modern assassins have their own creed?

 **BZZZZZZZZZZZZT!**

 **June 13 – 20:30pm [Sakurami General Hospital]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-He was killed by the SAT for his terrorist acts.  
-He was shot down by the Fourth.  
-He was beaten to death by the Fourth.  
 **DEAD END**

 **June 13 – 20:30pm [Sakurami General Hospital]  
** Gasai, Yuno  
-She was gunned down as she tries to reach First.  
-She sacrificed herself to save First.  
-She was killed by Fourth after she was left in despair due to First's death.  
 **DEAD END**

 **June 14 – 01:20am [Sakurami General Hospital]  
** Uryuu, Minene  
-After a lengthy last stand, she was finally cornered by the police. Killed by Fourth with a bullet to her head.  
 **DEAD END**

The night slowly passed. By midnight, Yuno was done fixing her things and was asleep beside me while I and Minene kept on tinkering with our things. "Still not done yet?" I asked Minene as I finished loading my magazines with ammunition. "Almost there. At most, I have 20 C2 bombs in my disposal. I have my detonating device with me along, so it'll be easy after I plant them." Minene replied as she brings out the same detonating device that she used back in our first battle. After rereading our entries, I took out a piece of paper and a pen, and began listing down various ways that this fight could end up. First off, we managed to corner Fourth and make him cooperate with us, we could pull this off and escape with him dying. The second possibility is that Fourth fights back and we have to use the bombs. Third, we fail this one and we all die. Hm. The third one is the least appealing but is the most probable one. I mean, if we factor in the SAT, who are practically trained to deal with these scenarios, our chances of winning will be so low. If they managed to corner me again … Pft. A sudden idea appeared in my mind. Heh. I can finally go out in with a bang in this scenario, eh Arashi? To think I adopted that philosophy of yours after a year of being partners. I never heard from him ever again. If he's already dead, well, he's dead. I can't do anything about it. "Shouldn't you rest now? You were anaemic earlier, right?" Minene asked as takes out a folded nurse uniform out of her bag. Hm? Is that disguise? Thoughts aside, I have to ask hers something. "Hey, Nee-sama. You're that good with bombs, right?" I asked her as I approached her with my grenades at hand. "Hm? Yeah? Why are you asking?" She asked with a curious expression on her face. "Heh. By chance, do you have a dead man switch in your things? The wire itself will do …" I muttered as a sudden excited yet sinister expression appeared in my face.

* * *

Finally, it's time. Minene went ahead to plant the bombs while I and Yuno prepared our things. I noticed a slight nervous expression on Yuno's face as she checked her diary. "Nervous?" I asked her as I strapped my vambraces tight and holstered my handgun. "N-Not really. It's just … Toshii … do you think we could pull this off?" Yuno asked as she turned around and holstered her pistol. Aniki gave her a black combat jeans that she could use, which is quite similar to mine. "Oh, come on. Isn't it too late to worry about that? If this is it for us, I'll be sure to give them a hell of a hard time," I replied as I put on my black jacket and zipped it up. "Also, I haven't forgot that promise of ours. If we're going to die, I'll fulfill my role in our promise first. Do know that I will only do that if our chances of winning is at 0%." I stated as I approached Yuno and wrapped my arms around her waist. She let out a soft moan as I caught her by surprise. "Geez … Toshii. You're excited for this fight, aren't you?" Yuno asked as she turned around to face me. Her pink eyes were fixated in my deep blue eyes. "Heh. What gave it away?" I sweetly asked her. "Something's poking me down below … " She replied with a chuckle. "A-Ah … that's my … k-knife ... Argh. You really had to point out, don't you?" I embarrassingly said as I hid my face underneath my palm. "It's okay, Toshii. I don't mind it. You do get excited in these sort of scenarios after all." Yuno said as she wrapped her arms around my neck. Though we had some intimate interactions back then, this time around, it's making me feel all jittery. I feel so … warm inside. "Too bad we can't do a quickie." I remarked with a chuckle. "W-What? Uh … we ca-" "You're never satisfied with a quickie, remember? I asked for one round, but you pleaded for six. How about this. If we do survive this mess, we could ... do it all day for once." I whispered to her ear, which sent shivers down to Yuno's spine. I saw her biting onto her trembling lips as she heard my preposition. "O-Okay … That will do, Toshii …" She sweetly said as she pushed her forehead against mine. With no hesitation in my part, we shared a tender kiss before heading out.

By the sun was setting, we already held Kurusu's wife, who was visiting her kid, and his child at gun-point. "Primary hostages are secured." I said to my phone's speaker as I kept my handgun's sights on the two. Kurusu's wife could only bow her head in confusion and fear as Yuno began tying them with a piece of rope. As the door opened, a nurse with a leather eyepatch entered the room. "Good work. Fourth's starting to make his move." Minene said as she closed the door and approached us. "Are you done planting the bombs?" I asked her as I peeked outside of the window. The number of police sedans that were positioned by the entrance caught my attention. "Yeah. I'll be planting the last one here." She said as Yuno sat down on a nearby chair. "Our last resort? Heh. Do make them suffer a painless death. That's the least we could do for them." I said as I felt my phone vibrating. To my surprise, my older half-brother was calling me. "Hm? Any news?" I asked him as I answered his call. "I've confirmed it. The SAT will be participating tonight." Mist said with a nervous tone. "I already know. If I die, I just want to thank you for giving me a chance, aniki." I said as I gently swiped my nose with my left thumb. "W-What? Why are you saying this now? It's like … y-" "Hey. Every battle that I had was a life-or-death scenario. I never managed to write down a will before, but at least now, I could properly thank the people who kept alive and sane. Anyway, we'll be preparing now." I stated with a faint smile on my face. "Tch. Stay alive will you? You still owe me …" He said as he ended the call. Tch. My big brother is such softie.

As night soon fell, the entire premises of the hospital was surrounded by the Sakurami Police force. There's no longer an escape route in our scenario. It's us, or them. "Hm. It looks bad from here." Minene said as she peeked outside of the window while I and Yuno stayed near the sliding door. "Make the call now, Nee-sama. Time to do some negotiations." I said as I took a quick glace on my wristwatch. We have thirty minutes left. "Got it." Minene said as she took out her phone and called Fourth. Within a few seconds, her call was answered. She turned on the speakers and placed her phone in between the three of us. "What do you want? Are you planning to surrender?" Fourth coldly asked. "You decide if you want to make this a blood bath, old man." I said as I kept a close eye on the door. "Do you think that bri-"

 **BANG! BANG!**

The sudden gunshots startled Fourth as the sound of my bullets hitting the nearby wall echoed throughout the room. I was too trigger happy that I suddenly shot the ceiling. Instead of actually making an negotiation, I altered our plan. We'll face them headstrong. "Oh? Are you sure about that? Just be sure to pick up the bodies of your wife and kid after this, hm? Oh wait. I doubt you'll find any remains after this." I said with a sinister tone in my voice. "Y-You bastard …" Fourth furiously said as I gave Yuno and Minene our go signal. After ending the call, I and Yuno sprinted outside of the room. I'll be taking care of the west-wing while Yuno guards the east-wing. "Stay alive, will you?" I shouted as I and Yuno parted ways. As I reached the third floor of the stairwell, I heard the loud footsteps coming at the end of the hallway. As expected, armoured SAT members were running towards me with their guns at the ready. I donned my black hood and took out my Beretta. Good thing my first magazine is filled with hollow point rounds. With my gun at the ready, I charged in towards them. At most, I could see four of them in front of me. I have to make short work of them. As we began exchanging bullets, my vision slowly changed into something monochromatic. This is actually a certain trick that I learned from my former partner-in-crime but never used since by the end, this trick will leave me exhausted and a nerve-wreck. I mean, literally since I'm forcing my eyes into seeing the world in a monochrome-type manner so that I could enhance my other senses. As I evaded the bullets that were coming out from their handguns, I finally killed one of them. My bullet bounced from the neck covering of his body armour and penetrated his chin. I heard the splat of his brains as he lifelessly fell down on the hospital floor. As one of them took out a riot shield, I quickly holstered my gun. My hollow-point rounds won't do shit against that. As we entered melee range, I quickly evaded the riot shield which was swung towards me. Seeing me unarmed, the two members on the back charged in with their guns at the ready. Before they could even pull the trigger, I stepped in right below them and pushed the one holding the riot shield aside. With a flick of my wrists, my blades came out. The red crimson splattered onto the window and the floor as my blades cleanly sliced their throats. "Never leave your neck wide open, boys." I said as they fell down on the ground, gasping for air with their sliced throats. The last member in their group tried his best to put me down. Seeing his comrades dying in front of him, he tried to bash me with his shield once again. As the shield was about to hit me, I quickly gave him a good inwards kick that stopped the force of his attack. As I pushed his shield against him, I quickly noticed the small opening in his legs. I quickly retracted my right blade and took out my gun. With a few shots, he fell down on the floor, clutching onto his leg. Blood slowly seeped out from his greyish black clothing as I quickly gave him a swift kick on the opening of his neck. As my kick connected, he let out a painful groan as he gasped for air. I picked up one of the submachine guns that his comrades had and gave him a spray of bullets. At point-blank range, his body armour wasn't thick enough to stop the bullets from penetrating his body. He finally let out his last breath as a stray bullet, which almost got me, caught my attention. In the opposite end of the hallway, were four more SAT members. "Hoho? Oh well. Guess warm-up is done." I muttered with a sinister smile on my face as I charged in towards them.

Though I managed to kill the next two groups of SAT members, I found myself completely surrounded by them. Slowly, exhaustion took its toll in my body as I felt completely woozy. As expected, my skill drained me to the point that I was having a hard time evading their strikes earlier. As I leaned my back against the wall, I noticed blood was dripping down from my left arm. Ah, fuck. My wounds reopened, huh? "We have him cornered, chief. Any orders?" One of them asked through his speakers as I tried to catch my breath. "Good. I'll be there shortly." Fourth said in the speakers. Heh. All according to plan. "If I were you, you should kill me now while you have the chance." I muttered as I grabbed onto my left arm. Tch. My body is aching. I was a bit too reckless and sustained bruises all over. The men simply glared at me coldly with their submachine guns at the ready. Heh. Silent treatment, eh? In a matter of a few seconds, a bandaged man arrived at the scene. "You look like a mummy, Fourth. Fitting for a person who's going to die …" I said as I tried to taunt him. "Tch. Big words, kid." Fourth said as he readied his revolver. "Hoho. Angry, are we? Angry that I killed off your wife and kid? Heh. Are cops that gullible or you're that emotionally easy to sway?" I said once more to taunt him. "What the hell did you do to them?!" He furiously asked. "Heh. Look behind you." I said as I saw Minene on the 4th floor of the east-wing. Kurusu was dumbfounded when he saw Minene holding his wife and kid in her hands. "I'm not stupid enough to kill off our primary hostages. Now, old man. How about a g-"

 _Toshiiii!_

Yuno's sudden voice caught our attention. She was sprinting down the hallway with her pistol at the ready. As she began shooting down the SAT members that were cornering me, Fourth quickly responded. "Shoot her down!" Fourth ordered as they aim their weapons towards Yuno. Heh. Just in the nick of time, Yuno. "Shoot her and I'll blow this hospital sky high, you fuckers!" I shouted as I unzipped my black jacket. To their surprise, my black combat vest was filled with explosives. Fourth had a frantic look in his eyes as I took out the trigger. "Forget the girl! Aim for his he-" "Go on! Shoot! I'll bring all of you down with me!" I furiously shouted as I showed a small wire that was sticking out from my chest. "Y-you … A dead man switch?!" Fourth muttered as two of his men went down. As Yuno arrived by my side, I kept my hands steady, ready to detonate the bombs that were strapped on my combat vest. "I really prepared for this, Fourth. Heh. You do give me a hell of a thrill, you know." I remarked as I wrapped my arm around Yuno's waist. "Don't you drag the innocent to this mess, Toshiro!" Fourth sternly shouted as he kept his revolver at the ready. "Huh? Why? I'm no saint, my dear detective. I use anyone to achieve my goal. You're looking at a fine example of a scum of the underworld." I said as a sinister expression appeared on my face. "Toshii! I did well and killed everyone of them at the east-wing!" Yuno said with a carefree smile on her face. "Geez. Consistent, aren't we?" I said as I noticed one of the remaining SAT member aiming at my hand. To his surprise, I brought Yuno closer to me. "Time to fulfill the end of my bargain, Yuno." I said as I sweetly looked at Yuno. Though she had this pained expression when she heard my words, it slowly disappeared and as she accepted our scenario. "I'll see you in the other side, alright, Toshii? I'll keep on chasing you, so don't worry about it." Yuno sweetly said as she embraced me. "Oy! Toshiro! Don't do it!" Fourth frantically shouted as he tried to convince me to stop. Hmph. "Time for the finale. Bite, the, dust!" I shouted as I pressed the trigger.

Suddenly, 6 smoke canisters fell down on the floor. In a matter of seconds, the entire hallway was filled with smoke. "E-Eh? Toshii?" Yuno asked with a puzzled tone in her voice. "Did I say I'm giving up this early?! Come on! One last push, Yuno!" I shouted as I flicked out my blades. Hearing my words, Yuno simply obliged and charged in with me. The remaining SAT members were so startled that they couldn't defend themselves. One by one, they fell down, dying or already lifeless. It was like, a dance as I and Yuno killed them off in a synchronized manner. "S-Smoke?! Shit! We need reinforcements!" Fourth shouted as I suddenly emerged out of the smoke and pushed him against the wall. "Come on, old man! Kill me!" I furiously shouted as my blade sank into his shoulder. He let out a painful grunt as he whacked my face with his fist. The impact of his fist made me reel backwards a bit, but I went back in and gave him a solid head-butt. "You wanted to finish my case, right?! Come on! Try and kill the grim reaper!" I shouted in a gleeful manner as Yuno finishes off the remaining SAT member. Soon, Fourth's body and arms were ridiculed with stab wounds, but my stabs were a bit too shallow to finish him off. As I was about to deliver the final blow, he suddenly aimed his revolver downwards. I was too caught up in my ecstasy that I was too late to react. A bullet penetrated my right thigh. My high-like state ended and I stumbled backwards, holding onto my thigh. "Toshii!" Yuno frantically shouted as Fourth sluggishly tried to keep himself standing. "F-Fucker! I'll ha-" "Oy, brat! You got 4 groups of SAT members closing in your position!" Minene shouted through the speakers of a dead SAT member. Shit. Time to our last resort. "Detonate it! Now!" I shouted as I grabbed onto Yuno and pulled her towards me. We braced ourselves as we heard the nearing footsteps of their reinforcements.

 **BOOOOOOOOOM!**

Slowly, my consciousness went back. I could feel my body aching badly as I slowly opened my eyes. My vision was blurry and I could barely see what's in front of me. It's something … dark. It's dark. Oh, right. Minene detonated the bombs underneath us, which collapsed the flooring of the 3rd floor. I sluggishly pushed myself up. Underneath me was Yuno who was knocked out cold from the fall. I see no wounds or blood, so she's okay, I hope. I don't want her to die from internal bleeding after all. After inspecting her body and seeing she's fine, I let out a sigh. As I tried to stand up, I felt a sudden sharp pain coming from right thigh. As I took a look on my lower half, I noticed the small blood pool under my leg. Oh, god. I'm bleeding out again. "Yare yare …" I muttered as I felt my adrenaline reaching its limits. Since I can't move that much, I simply decided to look around. I found ourselves in a debris-filled hallway which was ruined from the explosion. We're probably landed on some debris on the 2nd floor. I brushed off the dust on Yuno's face. In the corner of my eye, I noticed a rubble moving. Just a few meters away from us, was a wounded Fourth. Though he's bleeding profusely, he slowly made his way towards us with a broken piece of rebar in his hands. "T-Tough bastard, aren't ya?" I muttered as I tried my best to push myself up. Yuno's defenseless. I have to … protect her. I have to keep her alive. "I'll bust that head of yours … Thanatos!" Fourth furiously shouted as anger filled his eyes.

Though I tried my best to fend him off, my injured arm, leg and my exhaustion was too much for me. My blows were weak and I couldn't properly defend myself. With one good smack, I was sent flying towards Yuno. I landed on a nearby rubble as blood spewed out from my mouth. My vision is starting to shake as Fourth menacingly approached us. "After all the years that I've been tracking you down, I could finally end this case." Fourth said as I sluggishly pushed myself up once more. Fighting was no longer an option for me. At this time, in my current injured state, I had one thing on my mind.

I have to protect her. I can't let that girl get harmed.

Those words were filling my head. Are these Shaco's thoughts or opinions? No … this is … mine. I limped myself towards the unconscious girl. I positioned myself on top of her as Fourth landed another whack on my body. I could feel my ribs getting broken by the impact as I kept on spewing out blood from my mouth. My blood was dripping down on Yuno's face, which awoken her. Her eyes were wide open as another whack landed, this time around, on my left shoulder. "What? Is that … all, huh?! Thanatos?! Where is that fire inside of you?!" Fourth furiously shouted as he began kicking me with his leg. "T-Toshii …" Yuno muttered as tears began to form in her eyes. I clenched my teeth as I tried my best to endure this beating.

 _You want to protect her, right?_

I … want to protect her. I have to. I'm no longer … fighting any longer to sate this blood thirst. I just want to … protect that genuine smile of hers …

 _Finally coming to terms with your emotions, eh, landlord? Come on. I'll give you a push …_

Suddenly, a gush of rage filled my mind. Once again, my adrenaline fueled my entire body. With one strong push, I managed to knock Fourth out of his balance. Strangely, my injured body felt light. With one furious shout, I landed a solid inward kick on Fourth's face. My sudden counterattack startled him. As blood slowly trickled down from his nostrils and from his mouth, I slowly approached him. "That all, old man? My … uncle gave me ... a more … painful time," I said as he tried to fend me off, but to no avail. I grabbed him by his collar and began slamming my fist onto his face. Weird. Back then, I'd be in ecstasy whenever I'm in a position like this, but … I don't feel any satisfaction out of this. Is it because this man is merely trying to save the life of his kid who's diagnosed with a fatal heart condition? What am I talking about? This isn't the time to be sentimental. I am … a villain … after all.

Finally, I reached my limits. After letting out a deep breath, my body toppled down, but to my surprise, Yuno caught me in her arms. I could still hear some faint breathing coming from Fourth. "I … have to … en-" "It's okay, Toshii. Let me do it. Rest now." Yuno said as her I felt her tears trickled down on my dusty black hair. In the corner of my eye, I saw Minene and Nishijima arriving at the scene. "C-Chief." Nishijima muttered. To our utter surprise, Kurusu suddenly stood up, with his revolver at his hands. "N-Not … yet …." Fourth muttered as he pointed his revolver towards us. At this point, I couldn't any longer move my body. I reached my limits and at the verge of passing out. Without hesitation, Yuno grabbed onto my nearby handgun. With a determined look in her eyes, she pulled the trigger.

 **BANG!**

The sound of the gunshot echoed throughout the ruined hallway. Fourth's stomach was slowly stained by his blood as he fell down on his knees. "Chief! That's enough!" Nishijima shouted as he sprinted towards the dying investigator. An orange phone caught my attention. Wait … this is his Investigation Diary. "Y-Yuno … his diary …" I muttered. Hearing my shaky words, Yuno slowly grabbed onto the Investigation Diary. A sudden puzzled look appeared in her eyes as she began checking its contents. "His diary … doesn't have any entries … " Yuno muttered. "He lost the ability of his diary when I confessed his preposition to his assistant. That detective tried to partner up with me, a terrorist. That makes him a criminal." Minene said as she began tending my wounds. "Why are … you d-" "If I don't help you, your brother will kill me." Minene remarked with a gentle smirk on her face. "N-Nishijima … my files … look at them. I leave … this case to you …" Fourth muttered as his breathing became erratic. "C-Chief! Stop talking! We cou-" "Drop … the charges on these kids … drop the Thanatos case … for a while. Focus on this … case first …" Fourth instructured as he began coughing out blood. "We didn't kill your wife and kid. They're safe." Minene said as she and Yuno slowly helped me stand up, with their arms supporting my back. "I see … Thanatos … you were … one hell of a case … no hard feelings …" Fourth said as he let out his final breath. His assistant simply held onto his lifeless body as my vision slowly blacked out. Seeing my opponent finally defeated, I let out a deep breath. I faintly heard Yuno shouting my name as my consciousness slowly drifted away.

* * *

In a certain office in the metro …

A tall, tan-skinned man with glasses was sitting in front of two shady looking people. His assistant, was carefully observing the two from behind. "So? You got what you need? Is that enough information?" The man asked the two. On top of his desk were three white folders. One of the shady looking people took one of the folders and began checking its contents. "Yeah. This is enough." He said as he closed the folder. "You don't have any problem doing this contract, right? I did promise you a large amount of money." The man said with a snicker. "Yeah. I'll be simply repaying him after all." The young shady-looking guy said with a sinister smile on his face. "Think about it as a … reunion." The man said with a smile as he stood up. As the two shady men stood up with the folders in their hands, one of the pictures from the folder fell down. The young shady man noticed it and squatted down. "I'll be seeing you soon, Thana- Hm. Kage." He said as he took the picture of the young man with two facial scars and placed it back in the folder. As the two shady men went out of the office, the tall, tan-skinned man was staring outside of his office window. "So long, Hiriyama." He said as a grin appeared in his face.

* * *

 **SIDENOTE:**

 **Hi guys! This will be my last update for a while, since I only have 6-7 weeks left before my thesis deliberation and my presentation. So yeah, I'll be focusing on my studies for a while. Anyway, as always, thank you for taking your time and reading my fanfic! It really means a lot! To think that people would actually read this shoddy fanfic of mine. It's just ... surprising and at the same time, gratifying to know that some of you readers are actually enjoying the content that I make. I just hope that I could fulfill your expectations lol**

 **Anyway, that's all for now! Please do leave a review or an opinion! I do welcome it. Stay safe, everyone!**


	10. Loose Ends

The dusty wind breezed right through as I walked along the sidewalk. Strangely, my monochromatic dream-world is changing. From black and white, it's starting to get color, though the hues are quite faint. "The hell did you do to this place … Shaco …" I muttered to myself as I stopped in our usual meeting place, which was the cemetery that I made in my mind. Instead of a cemetery, a park appeared before me. Well, this is odd. When did this location change? I don't remember changing the cemetery into this park. Casting my thoughts aside, I entered the park. In the middle was a large cherry tree with an unusual mound on the bottom. I made way towards the tree while I kept an eye out for my apparition. What's happening? Usually, I would find him as soon I enter my dream world. As I arrived at the foot of the tree, I noticed a rock plaque, which had some leaves partially covering it. After brushing the leaves aside, I quickly recognized the name that was in the plaque.

 _Here lies Nohiru, Toshiro.  
_ _The famed Thanatos of the underground society._

So this is … a grave of sorts? "Nice spot for a grave, don't you think?" A familiar voice from behind me asked. I slowly turned around and saw Shaco, a few feet away from me. Odd. His figure is rather translucent. Maybe it's just my eyes playing tricks with me. "You buried yourself here?" I asked him as I approached him, casting the end of my reddish scarf behind my shoulder. "Hm? What are you talking about? We wanted to buried underneath a cherry tree, remember?" Shaco replied with a faint grin on his face as he kept his hands inside his pockets. "That was … a random thought. That idea suddenly popped out when we were doing our contracts back then." I said as I stood beside him, staring onto the vast cityscape. The entire sky was sort-of brownish grey. Is it the apocalypse, or what? "We wanted to be remembered, so a good burial spot would be a solution to that, right?" He asked with a chuckle. "Hm. It could work. Kids who would play in this park would notice that plaque underneath the tree. They could leave some flowers for us or something." I replied with a shallow sigh. "Pft. Who would visit this gloomy place I wonder." He remarked as we began laughing at his sudden remark.

After our laughing fits dies down, I noticed that Shaco shifted his gaze onto the cherry tree. His eyes is somewhat … peaceful. "You look different. Not the edgy apparition that I used to see." I commented as he kept his gaze locked on the tree. "I can't always be that dark, landlord. I'm quite done being a pessimist. To be honest, I feel great right now. I'm at peace …," Shaco stated with a grin on his face. "Anyway, how is it? To finally accept your emotions and feelings?" He asked as he shifted his attention towards me. "It's rather … weird. I'm not really used to these warm emotions, but … it feels … oddly satisfying. It feels-" "Good, right? To be loved and to love." He said as he gave a pat on my shoulder. "W-Wait. I'm not that quite far yet. I'm not even sure if I love Yuno ... or something. I only accepted that … I'm fond of her and she was the spark for these warm emotions inside of me." I frantically exclaimed as I felt my cheeks getting red. "Pft. What? Are you a tsundere?" He asked as he began laughing at me.

"N-No. It's just that … I'm no-" "Stop denying it, landlord. I could see it in your actions and in your words," Shaco remarked as he sat down on the grass beneath us. "Fond is different than love. Tell me, how can you say if you're fond of a certain person?" Shaco asked. "Uh … you feel … warm inside when you're with them? Whenever you make physical contact with them … your heart begins to race or something? You want the best for them?" I replied as I sat down a few inches away from him. "Pft. Are you even listening to yourself right now? I, Dr. Nohiru, has concluded that you have a severe case of love sickness, my dear patient." He stated as he began laughing once more. "W-What?" I asked with a puzzled expression on my face. "I recommend you to accept your emotions fully and love her. Denying one's emotion is bad for the heart, you see." He said as he began writing on an imaginary piece of paper and gave it to me. "Someone's taking this thing too seriously." I said with a sigh. "Pft. Anyway, about that gravestone …," Shaco said as his laughing fit dies down. "What do you think about it?" He asked. "Are you trying to say that I should bury my past now?" I replied. "Could be. Hm. Toshiro, do you … still feel the thrill of the hunt? Like with your last battle with the detective?" He asked once more as he stood up. "Come to think of it … I felt the thrill when I was killing the SAT members, but when Yuno was down cold and Kurusu was about to attack us … I felt a chill in my spine. I felt like … I wasn't fighting for the thrill anymore." I replied.

"Heh. I see. Things are progressing very differently in your case," Shaco said as the wind breezed through us once more. "In my case … I was fighting to achieve the thrill of death. I wasn't fighting for Yuno, or for myself. I was simply, fixated with death so much that I mercilessly killed everyone who stood against me, to the very end. Well, Yuno was an exemption." He stated as he placed his hands inside his pockets once more. Now that I could get a good look on him, Shaco's figure is really translucent. I could faintly see the cityscape through his figure. "You're … pretty chatty today." I said as I brushed off my thoughts aside. "Pft. Toshiro, can you do me a favour?" He asked. I simply nodded and looked at him curiously.

 _How about you leave the bloody route to me and make your own ending?_

* * *

 _Toshii? Toshii!_

 **CLAP!**

A sudden clap in front of my face brought me back to my senses. I quickly shook my head and rubbed my eyes with my fingertips. As my vision clears out, I noticed my female companion in front of me, who had this puzzled look on her face. "H-Huh? Yuno?" I muttered as I sluggishly looked around. I found ourselves by the living area in front of the television. "Geez. Was the movie that boring that you fell asleep?" Yuno asked with an annoyed pout. Wait. Oh yeah. We were watching a romantic flick that she recommended earlier. If I could remember correctly, I fell asleep during the midway point of the movie. "A-Ah, sorry. Romantic movies isn't really my thing." I said as I let out a yawn and began fixing my messy hair. Yuno simply sighs and sat down beside me. "It's alright. You tried! I just have to pick a better movie next time." She said as she rests her head onto my shoulder.

6 days has passed ever since the Sakurami General Hospital incident. Slowly, my wounds began to heal at a steady pace. My gunshot wounds were all stitched up and sealed properly. Yuno, who's taking my personal nurse role seriously, changes the stiches every after two days. My fractures from Fourth's assault were slowly healing too. I can't move my body that extensive, so I have to rest from my workout routines. "Things are rather peaceful, huh?" I asked Yuno as she began surfing the channels in the television. "Yeah. At least we could have some alone time again, right, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she gave me a sweet smile. "Y-Yeah. Nee-sama is working right now with aniki and Nishijima. From what I've heard, they're trying to uncover the identities of the remaining diary users." I replied as I opened the cabinet beside me and took out the diaries that I took from my opponents. I have the remains of Third's diary, Twelfth's voice recorder, Sixth's scroll, Fifth's colouring book, Tenth's diary which was given by Hinata as a token of apology, and Fourth's diary. That leaves us with my Death Diary, Yuno's Toshiro Diary, Minene's Escape Diary, the Seventh's, the Eight's and Eleventh's diary that are still active in the game. Three more to go, and I have to deal with that bombastic terrorist. Then, I'll have to kill … Yuno …

As the thought of killing Yuno entered my mind, I felt a sudden chill on my spine. After all of this grand battle royal, I have to kill her, right? But … I don't have any intentions of being God. I asked Yuno before what a god could do. She told me like her, she could go back in time and change something in the past. In my case, I don't want to change anything. I'm quite satisfied with how things turned out. Though I'm not in the best scenario, well, I ended up with her, so I'm not complaining or something. Hm. Maybe … I can leave Minene alive so that she could win this survival game? To be honest, I find that quite ironic. A woman like her, who hates God, will become a god? I think … that's a good thing to be honest. At least she knows what to do when she becomes a god. Well, that's an option that I could take.

"Hm. Yuno. Do you remember who- Wait. Yuno? Where are you?" I said as I noticed Yuno was missing. Hm? I heard something rumbling inside our bedroom. Ah, she must've stood up and went there while I was lost in my thoughts. I didn't even notice her standing up. "It's time for your medicine, Toshii!" Yuno happily said as she went out of the room, donning a rather familiar nurse outfit. "O-Oy. What is that? Where did you get that?" I asked her as she slowly made her way towards me. "This outfit? I bought it from Ninth when they passed by earlier. Hm? You like it, Toshii?" Yuno bashfully asked as she positions herself on top of me. "A-Ah … are you into roleplay?" I asked her as I felt my cheeks getting redder. "Maybe …" She whispered as she unbuttons her blouse in front of me. Argh. To hell with this. I might as well play along. "So … uh. What kind of medicine are you planning to give me, Ms. Nurse?" I asked her as she places her arms behind my neck. "Well, the doctors told me to give you lots and lots of love medicine earlier … will that do, Mr. Patient?" She asked as she brings her soft lips closer to me. "I'd love that …" I replied as I pressed my lips onto her. Our tongues and feelings for one another intertwined as time slowly passed by.

* * *

The café was buzzing with customers as the busy afternoon passes on. As I took a sip from my coffee, I noticed the silver-haired boy in front of me was observing me with his rose-coloured eyes. "You do love your coffee mild, don't you, Toshiro-kun?" Akise commented with a grin as he began eating the slice of chocolate cake he ordered. "Stop staring. It's creepy," I said I ignored his eyes and continued drinking my coffee. After waking up earlier, I remembered that this silver-haired boy said something rather, interesting, when Tenth tried to kill us. Since we're going to have a dinner with aniki and Minene later at our place, I probably need to buy some groceries later. My only free time was during the afternoon, so I took the opportunity and called him out. Surprisingly, in a matter of minutes after arriving here, Akise showed up with a rather carefree aura. "So? Care to answer my questions?" I asked him as I placed my cup aside. "Hm? Question? Are you asking for your reviewers, Toshiro-kun? You and Gasai-san missed some days in school after all." Akise replied as he gave me a carefree smirk. Tch. He's doing this intentionally. Is he planning to tick me off? "Ha-ha. Very funny. I'm in a good mood, so I'll let it slide. I'm asking you to answer me, dear classmate. What do you want? Do you need payment?" I asked him as I gave him a sharp look and took out my wallet. "Pft. Are you seriously trying to bribe me, Toshiro-kun? You sure do things quite differently." He remarked as he lets out a chuckle. "Differently?" I muttered. "You see, I've met him before. You know, that voice inside your head. He was … way more hot-headed compared to you." He remarked as he gave me a grin.

"Y-You … how the hell did yo-" "Like I said before, Toshiro-kun, I am an observer. My task is simply to observe and record events for the Akashi Records, the vault of records of the god of space and time. I'm not a participant of the game, but I am related to Deus Ex Machina," Akise said as he takes another bite of his cake. "I won't go in too much detail, but I've met him, the first Toshiro. Quite a savage individual if you ask me. You're quite more, mellow than him." He commented as I kept observing his actions. I don't sense any hostility coming from him, but I can't drop my guard. If he met Shaco before, doesn't that mean that he was killed too? Shaco was sure that he killed everyone who stood against him. "Did you die in the first world?" I asked him as I took another sip of my coffee. "My body, yes, but due to fact that I'm a being that was created by Deus himself to watch over the events of this survival game, my memories from the previous timeline somehow merged with my current one. It's like changing bodies if you ask me." He replied with a smile. Hearing his words, it made me realize something. Even though he's an artificial being, there's no way that he could transfer his memories. If Yuno became god, that means Deus already forfeited his title, and no one could transfer Akise's memories due to the fact that Yuno was so fixated in going back in time. Does that mean that there's another person that was involved? Did that third party transferred Akise's memory and Shaco's sub-consciousness into this world? Things are getting too serious now. Why does it feel like that I'm caught up in a bigger problem?

"Do you have any memories of anyone transferring your memories? Like before you died or something?" I asked him as I took a quick glance on my watch. I still have a few minutes before the sale in the grocery, so I might as well gather all the information I could get from him. "Nothing that I could remember. My, my. I didn't know that you're that interested, Toshiro-kun. Taking a break from the killing?" Akise replied with a sly smirk on his face. Tch. This guy is seriously ticking me off. Suddenly, my phone began vibrating. As I quickly opened it, I noticed a message from Yuno. She told me to hurry up and stop chatting with Akise so casually. Pft. Someone's getting jealous. "Drop the smartass attitude, will ya? Hm. Did you do anything to Yuno? That girl really dislikes you, you know." I asked once again. As Akise was about to answer my question, I noticed a familiar face in the corner of my eye. I quickly shifted my attention towards the glass window near us. There was a sudden movement in the crowd outside, and I lost track on the familiar face that I noticed. Come to think of it, I felt that I was being watched while I was talking to Akise earlier. Since Akise had his rose-coloured eyes fixated at me, I thought he was the only one watching my movements. "Hm? Is something the matter, Toshiro-kun?" Akise curiously asked as he noticed that I was staring outside of the café. "N-No. Nothing. I thought I saw someone familiar," I replied as I took another quick glance on my wrist watch. A few minutes before 5 in the afternoon. I might as well wrap things up. I have a hutch feeling that this guy knows something, but seems like I can't get it out from him without forcing him to spill the beans. Tch. What a drag. Gathering information isn't really my thing. "Last que-" Before you even ask anything else, Toshiro-kun. I want you to know that it's better to find out the truth from a person that you trust. From the looks of things, you don't trust me at all, so I won't bother telling it to you. You're not 'him' after all, so you get no special treatment from me." Akise stated with another sly smirk on his face. "Him? What the hell are you talking about?" I muttered with a puzzled expression on my face. "My beloved. Hmph. You got a sale to catch, right? Go on. The coffee is on me." He said as he gave me a smile.

As usual, the grocery was loaded with people as the sale rages on. The isles were loaded with housewives who're trying to get ahead of each other, while I was busy looking around at the meat section. Hm. Since Yuno is going to cook some yakiniku later, I might as well get good beef strips. As I looked around the racks of packaged meat at the freezer, my mind was lost in my thoughts. I was trying to decipher what Akise was talking about earlier. Who the hell was he talking about? His beloved? That person is a guy, right? Wait. He swings that way? Tch. Forget that. He said that he's an observer, that he was an artificial being created by Deus himself. Well, he can back it up due to the fact he knows the difference between me and my first world counterpart. The big question now is, who transferred his memories and Shaco's sub-consciences? Deus is a no go since he's probably gone at that point while Yuno was fixated in going back in time. Wait a minute. Is it possible that MurMur stayed when Deus died? Does she even have the power to do those things? She's just like an assistant of sorts to the god of space and time, right? What is … the meaning of all of this? Am I a part of a bigger picture that's being hidden away by this survival game? Tch. Hey, Shaco. You there? After a few seconds, there wasn't any reply from my first-world persona. He must be resting or something. Suddenly, I remembered something that Yuno muttered. It was something she said during that night where Tenth tried to kill us. She muttered 'Yukki', right? Does this 'Yukki' be connected to this survival game too? Is that name even relevant? Maybe I'm thinking too much. Perhaps Yuno muttered my nickname wrongly and I'm overthinking. Enough of this. I have to g-

Once again, I caught a glimpse of a familiar face in the corner of my eye. This time around, I saw a hooded person at a nearby isle. As he noticed that I caught a glimpse of him, he began walking away, trying to get away from my sight. Damn it. Who the hell is that person and why is he so familiar looking? I quickly got three packages of meat and threw into my basket as I began to follow that shady looking person. For a few minutes, I followed him around, like a predator stalking his prey. As I followed him, I could faintly recognized his figure but I can't name this person in front of me. Where did I meet this person again? Wait. Is he … is it possible? I suddenly felt uneasy and increased my pace. I have to get a good look on his face. It can't be. Aniki made sure he deleted every record that I have during my contract-taking days and the cases that could be linked to me recently. Aniki made sure that he left no trace that our former associates can never track us down! There's no fucking way. He was an arm's length away from me when suddenly, a group of housewives slipped in between us. "H-Hey! Stop!" I shouted as the man began sprinting away. In a matter of seconds, he was gone, completely blended in with the crowd by the exit. "Fuck. I lost him." I muttered to myself as I tried to calm my nerves. Shaco, I really need your input right now. Did you encountered him in your world too? Hm, Shaco? Again, only silence came from him. Tch. What the hell. I … have to tell aniki. I have to make precautions now. Of all the people that could actually kill me, I don't want to die by his prideful hands. I rather die by fighting cops than dying in his hands.

Brushing off my uneasiness, I continued buying our needed groceries. After a few minutes, I was done with my groceries and was at the counter. As the lady began tallying the prices of the grocery into the cash register, I can't help but to feel a bit tense. Damn it. If I knew he'd betray me during my last contract, I would've killed him before then. Does a title in the underground society means so much for him? How … pathetic.

 _ **RING! RING! RING! RING!**_

The sudden ringtone that came from my phone startled me and the cashier lady. "A-Ah, excuse me." I said as I took out my phone. Hm? Yuno's calling me? Ah. She might've forgotten to remind me to buy something else. She was hungry for an ice cream earlier, so I bought one tub. I'm not sure what flavour though, so I might as well clarify. "Hello? Hey, I bought a strawbe-"

 _You don't deserve the title of Thanatos.  
_ _The current reaper has to die._

My eyes and mouth were left wide open as I heard an unfamiliar voice from the other side of the call. I could feel my entire body shaking as the call ended. Without hesitating, I sprinted towards the exit, leaving the groceries behind. I kept on cursing myself as I ran back home. I have to make it. I can't let Yuno get dragged into my mess! After a few minutes, I reached the Condominiums. I quickly went towards the parking area and saw a trail of blood that was leading towards the elevator. I could feel my heart pounding as it was filled with a very familiar emotion that I tried so hard to forget, to bury, before. After a few seconds, an elevator arrived and I rode it towards our floor. There, the blood trail continued. The trail ended in front of an open door, the door of our unit. I was breathing erratically and my eyes were frantically looking everywhere as I carefully entered the unit. As I reached the kitchen, a messy scene welcomed me. The stove was left open, the pan was on the floor, there were bloody footprints on the floor that were leading towards the foyer, and lastly, Yuno was nowhere to be found. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" I muttered as I went towards my room, which was ransacked. My wardrobe was left open, and my gun and my trench knife were missing. "Those fuckers! Shit. Fuck! How the hell did they manage to track me down?!" I furiously shouted as I pounded my fist onto the wall. Fucking shit, I have to find her. I have to save her from those assholes! I know how they operate. I have to save her before they could corrupt her!

 _Huh? What the hell is this mess?!_

Hearing a familiar voice, I quickly went back to the kitchen. I saw aniki and Minene, who had the same surprised expression on their faces, by the foyer. "Aniki! T-They … they got her!" I frantically shouted. "W-What?! They got who? Who's they? Whe-" "For Pete's sake! Yuno was kidnapped! They … are using her to get me!" I frantically shouted once more as I kept walking around in circles, with a distressed expression on my face. "What the hell are you talking about?" Minene asked with a puzzled tone. "W-What? They managed to track us down?! What the hell?! That can't be!" Mist remarked as he finally understood my current scenario. "No. I know how they work. He was my partner before after all. I have to track them down before something bad happens to Yuno!" I stated as I approached the two. "We're dealing with our loose ends, Minene. I can't believe this is happening. I made sure, damn it!" Mist said as he kicked the pan in frustration then leaned his back against the wall. "Loose ends? So we're dealing with the yakuza here?" Minene asked. "No. They are … a group of assassins or guns for hire. We know their leader. I worked with him in the past. He … betrayed me during my last contract since I 'stole' his title." I replied as I went back to my wardrobe and got out anything that I could use during this scenario. My hidden blades are still here, so I could use them. I have no time to lose. I ha-

 _Why are you so tense? She's part of the survival game, right? Let her die then._

The atmosphere inside the unit was tense. After hearing aniki's words, a sudden anger flared up inside of me. I quickly marched back to the kitchen, with my fist closed. I know he's a logical thinker, but I won't let him say that again. Suddenly, a strong hook landed on Aniki's cheek. The impact from my punch made him sat down onto the floor. He was quite a shocked from my sudden action, in the other hand, Minene simply let out a sigh and stepped in between us. "W-What the hell was that for, Toshiro?!" Mist angrily shouted as he quickly stood up. "You don't get it, don't you?" I coldly asked him. "Seriously, stop it. The both of you. Don't was-" "What? You're pissed since I said that, huh? That you should leave Yuno-chan to die? Well, that's the only best option for you, Toshiro! You're too attached to her! She's the biggest threat to you in this survival game! This is an opportunity to you, don't you see?!" Mist angrily said as Minene kept him at bay. "This isn't about winning or surviving this survival game. You don't get it. That girl … yeah, she's a handful, but she did so much for me. I wouldn't even bother try to deny everything she has done for me," I said as I turned my back then picked up my vambraces that I placed on top of the kitchen table. "She made me accept these emotions inside of me. She helped me become more human. She … is valuable to me and I won't let anyone touch her! If she's going to die, she will die by my hands!" I furiously shouted as I pounded my open hand onto the table.

After a few seconds, aniki lets out a sigh and shakes his head. "Give me a break, will you? Who knew that you'd be so attached to that obsessive girlfriend of yours?" Mist commented as he rubs his cheek while Minene closed the unit's door. "I'm going. Even with-" "You're going? You do know that information-gathering and tracking down your targets were never your best skill, right?" Mist said as he blocked me from going to the foyer. "Listen to your brother, Toshiro. Also, calm down. Take a deep breath, and calm yourself. You can't save Gasai at your current state." Minene remarked as she approached me and gave me a flick on my forehead. "You're no longer alone, Toshiro. You have me and Minene to count on to." Mist stated as he went towards his briefcase. As he sat down on the sofa, he opened his briefcase and took out his black laptop. "A-Aniki … I-I don't need your help. I can't drag you even furth-" "They are our loose ends, right? Who knew it would take a broken girl like Yuno-chan to fix a broken guy like you? Were you that caring before, Toshiro?" Mist remarked with a chuckle as he opened his laptop. "If I and your brother didn't had an agreement, I wouldn't be helping you right now. I mean, this scenario could easily take the two of you out. At least now, you're going to owe me one, you brat." Minene said as she gave me a strong pat on the back.

I'm … no longer alone now, huh? Aniki has a point. Ever since I was betrayed in my final contract, I never asked anyone for help. I chose to do things on my own, even if I already have my big brother to depend on to. Did I … take these people who are actually trying to help me for granted? By helping me, do they get anything in return? Gratitude, a peace of mind, or maybe, they're helping me since they actually care for me? Pft. Whatever. I can't dally with these things at the moment. "I … leave the data gathering to you, aniki. You know how they work. Please. We have to find them before the time runs out." I said as I bowed in front of aniki, who was busy jotting down on his laptop. "W-What? Stop that. Stop being so formal with me. I'm your brother, geez. Anyway, prepare yourself. Actually, look at the bottom drawer in your wardrobe. I hid something there." Mist said as he gave me a smile. As the two began tracking down Yuno's kidnappers, I went inside my room. As instructed, I checked the last drawer of my wardrobe. At the far end of my drawer, was an old, blue mp3-player. Heh. He actually kept it, huh? I used to listen to something to help me prepare myself for a contract. It feels … nostalgic. I sat down on the edge of my bed and placed the earphones into my ears. As I pressed the play button, a familiar classical piece played. Ah, Mozart's Requiem? A fitting piece for tonight. I slowly closed my eyes and took a deep breath. In the darkness of my mind, was a faint light. Inside of that said light, was the image of a certain pink-haired girl that I love the most. I will save her. No matter what happens.

* * *

I felt the cold, night breeze passing through as me and Minene went out of the black sedan. As expected, aniki managed to track down Yuno's kidnappers with the plate number of the van that they used to carry out the kidnapping. As skillful as he is, he managed to use his connections and track down the van with the street cameras around the city. In the end, we arrived here in a rather familiar abandoned factory, a few kilometres away from the outskirts of Sakurami City. "I don't have any suppressors, so once you get spotted, you have to locate Yuno-chan as fast as you can, alright?" Mist said as he also went out of the sedan. "Got it. Though we have time, I won't take any chances. Within 24 hours, they'll sell Yuno to human trafficking if I don't show up." I said as I fix the straps on my vambraces. "Tch. Anyway, any dead-end flags?" Minene asked as she brought out a green duffle bag from the trunk. Now that she mentioned it, there were some static earlier from my phone when aniki finished tracking them down. As much as I hate to take a peek on how I die, I have to take this seriously.

 **June 21 – 21:50pm [Abandoned Factory]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-He was killed when a spray of bullets caught him by surprise  
-His body was crushed when an explosion occurred and a debris fell on top of him  
 **DEAD END**

Oh? Just me? No entry for Minene, aniki or Yuno? Well, there's a lot of names here in my diary and I'm pretty sure those are the names of my targets. Still, his name is not here. "Just mine." I muttered as I placed my diary back inside my pocket. "He sure know how to invite you back to this place, eh, Toshiro?" Mist commented as he approached me. "I … can do it. I don't need to be sentimental about this place. Yeah, this is where the final contract played out. This is where he betrayed me and left me to die. This time around, I'll make sure this place will be his grave." I said as I stared at the abandoned factory. "Alright, let's run through the plan again," Mist said as he took out a piece of map and placed it on top of the car's hood. He then opened his smartphone and used the light coming from its screen to illuminate the map. "First objective. Locate Yuno-chan's whereabouts. Second, establish an escape route to be used once Toshiro saves her. Third, get the hell out of dodge if possible. Killing them all is the last option that we have since we don't that much resources." Mist stated as I and Minene listened to him attentively. "So, I'll be the one in charge of the escape route?" Minene asked as she checked her equipment. She's armed with some leftover C2 bombs from the Sakurami General Hospital incident, and her trusty pistol. "You betcha. Toshiro. Once you have Yuno-chan, immediately contact Minene and the three of you meet up. Escape the facility as fast as possible." Mist replied as he looked towards me. I simply gave him a nod and turned my back. "Alright. Let's do this." Mist stated as I and Minene began walking towards the abandoned factory.

We chose a nearby ruined wall as our entry point. As we entered the factory's premises, we carefully sneaked around through the shadows. After a while, we finally encountered some armed men by the main building's entrance. At their side was the black van that they used to transport Yuno here. "4 of them." I muttered as we hid behind a concrete cover. Our clothing, which were mostly black, gave us an advantage as we stayed in the shadows. "What should we do? I don't have a suppressor." Minene asked as she placed her duffle bag down. "I'll deal those two by the entrance. Wait for the other two to move and take them out. After that, start establishing our escape route." I replied as I picked up a small stone and threw it towards the nearby courtyard. The stone managed to catch the attention of two men. As Minene's targets went towards the courtyard, I quickly snuck behind my targets, who were left by the entrance. As the other two reached the courtyard, I quickly disposed of the two men by the entrance. With two precise slashes, two bodies lifelessly fell down onto the concrete pavement. Without wasting any second, I quickly grabbed a knife from one of my targets and passed it towards Minene. Unluckily, the other two somehow caught glimpse of my actions. As they were about to open fire on me, Minene quickly ran out from her cover. Armed with a knife, she took out her targets with ease. Seeing that the coast was clear, I gave her a nod and proceeded with our plan.

Slowly, I made my way into the hallways of the abandoned factory. I had some encounters earlier, but I made sure no soul will live to tell the tale. I can't alert that fucker. If I do, he'll blast Yuno's brains out to make sure he'll foil my plans. If his plan was to lure me back here and finish me off with his own hands, he's already half-way finished. After a while, I received a message from Minene saying that she's already finished with laying her bombs. Heh, she's pretty fast. Placing my phone back in my pocket, I noticed a room that was dimly lit. I pushed my back against the wall and slowly made my way towards the room. A sense of relief quickly filled my mind as I saw Yuno inside the room. She was bounded by her wrists and legs, and she was tied onto a broken and rusty radiator. Wait a minute. This must be a trap. He knows that I'm here for Yuno, so I'm pretty sure he'll use her to lure me into a place where he could kill me. Tch. I'm taking that risk. I quickly ran towards Yuno. She was blindfolded and I noticed the bruise on her face. I gently took off her blindfold and brushed off the dust from her face.

"H-Huh?" Yuno muttered as her eyes were slowly adjusting to the dim lightning of the room. "Tch. Who did this to your pretty face? I'll be sure to slit his throat open." I remarked as I placed my hands onto her cheeks. "T-Toshii … you came to save me …" She said as I noticed the tears forming in her eyes. "Of course I would. There's no way I'll abandon you. Did they do anything to you? Are you okay? Where's your diary?" I asked her as I brought out one of my blade. "I woke up tied up here and don't worry, my diary is in my pocket. Nothing happened, Toshii. I promise. One of them punched my face though, but other than that …" Yuno muttered as I cut off the rope that was binding her legs. I suddenly noticed the frantic and nervous expression on Yuno's face. "I am … a bait, Toshii! You hav-" "I know. It's okay. I actually wanted this to happen." I said with a reassuring smile on my face as I heard footsteps behind my back. Knowing fully what will happen next, I retract my blade. I can't let him see my only advantage.

I slowly turned around. Behind me were two men. One of them had a pipe in his hands while the other had his hands inside his pockets. The familiar looking guy was wearing a black leather jacket, brown chinos, and I see that he changed his hairstyle. His hair is now long enough that he can style it into a topknot. In the other hand, his lackey looked like a typical thug out from the streets. He was wearing a white tank top, camo pants and combat boots. "Been a while, eh, 'Thanatos'?" The familiar looking man asked as his lackey kept on playing with the pipe. "Still salty about me taking your title?" I asked him as I shrugged my arms. "And I see that you still have that snarky attitude that you developed." He remarked as he looked unfazed. "Seriously though. Who's this chump? Though it's almost two years since you betrayed me and left me to die, you still don't have the balls to kill me with your own hands, huh?" I asked as I noticed the same nervous expression on Yuno's face. "Pft. As much as I want to, I don't want to stoop down into your pathetic level, you indecisive shit. Don't worry. I'm pretty sure this 'lackey' of mine is enough to put you down for good." He said as he turned around, and gave a tap on his lackey's shoulder.

"Heh. Pleased to meet you, sempai." The lackey said as he took a step forward. "Sempai? What the fuck. You look older than me." I commented as I carefully observed him. "Well, he did mentor you before, right? That makes you my sempai. Don't worry. I won't hold back. I'll be sure to crack that skull of yours open." He said with a smile as he readied his stance. As he slowly made his way towards me, I noticed his mentor walking towards the ruined door. "I'll be back. Once you kill him, you can do whatever you want to that girl of his." He coldly said as he exited the room. Suddenly, I felt a flame of anger inside me. He's so high and mighty now, huh? I'll be sure to drag you back down to hell once I get you. "Tsh. Fuck you, Arashi. I'll fucking rip your insides out once I'm done with this fucker!" I angrily shouted. Sensing that I was distracted from Arashi's words, the lackey went in with both of his hands holding the metal pipe. As he quickly closed the gap between us, my eyes were wide open as I noticed his stance. Shit. He wasn't kidding. I can see my own stance in his.

With one quick duck, I dodged a swing from the lackey. Before I could even move, a sudden right elbow landed on the bridge of my nose. I tumbled backwards but quickly got back up and readied my stance. Again, he went for the attack, but this time around, he was only holding the pipe with his left. Is he southpaw, or an orthodox? Tsh. Again, he swung towards me, and I dodged once again. Knowing that he'll quickly follow-up his missed attack, as I ducked below his pipe I quickly threw out a right straight which was aimed to his throat. As he saw my attack, he leaned his body back and my fist landed on his chin. Before I could pull my arm back, he gave me a strong kick in the gut which I managed to endure without flinching. I quickly grabbed onto his left arm and tried to disarm him, but his strength managed to push me back. He swung once again, but this time around, an overhead swing was going towards me. I blocked it with my left vambrace and readied my right fist once again. As my left arm absorbed the impact from the metal pipe, I went in and landed a solid right hook on his jaw. However, as my hook landed on his jaw, he quickly cocked back his left arm once again. I couldn't believe it. This fucker is actually faster than me. Though I tried to block it with my left arm, which was still quite numb, and my left leg, the pipe somehow managed to slip-by my defence. The sound impact echoed throughout the room as I clearly felt the metal pipe landing a dent onto my right ribs.

After some exchanges, some of my limbs are starting to feel numb from his strikes. I could feel the pain throughout my body surging through my very veins. I made a wrong decision of underestimating him. Though he clearly looks like some street punk that was taken out of the streets, I could clearly see that Arashi took his time in molding this man into his lackey. "Quite a feat, to make me feel pain like this." I remarked as I cracked my knuckles to stop the numbing of my hands. "Toshii!" Yuno frantically shouted as she tries her best to free her wrists from the rope. I have to end this now. I'm making her worry too much. Yeah, I'm getting some excitement out of this, but I know this isn't the time for me to seek my own death. If Yuno's life and well-being isn't a factor here, I would've charged in guns blazing earlier. Before I could bring out my blades, a sudden action of his caught me surprised.

Little that I know that in that instant, I would lose something in exchange of saving the girl that I love.

* * *

In Yuno's perspective …

I'm nervous. I'm extremely worried about Toshii. I could clearly see that his wounds and injuries from the Hospital incident are dragging him down. His reflexes are a bit slow than usual, his punches and kicks somehow lacks power, and to top that, he just keeps getting hit by that pipe all throughout his body. I … have to find a way to get this rope loose! I can't just sit here while Toshii is fighting for his life!

Once again, both of them took a step back from one another. "Toshii!" I shouted as Toshii remarked on how this lackey continuously managed to pressure him in their fight. As Toshii readies his stance, I noticed his two pinky fingers twitching. He's finally going to bring out his blades! He's done playing around! As the lackey noticed the expression of hope on my face, he gave me a chilling smirk that sent shivers down to my spine.

 **BZZZZZZZZZZZT!**

Static came from our diaries as the lackey suddenly threw the pipe towards my direction. "W-What?! Yuno!" Toshii shouted as he quickly stepped in and blocked the pipe with his right leg. The sound of the pipe smacking squarely on his shin made my whole body tremble. I can't help but to get more teary-eyed as a painful expression appeared on Toshii's face. He let out a groan and tried not to apply too much weight on his right leg. "T-Toshii …" I mumbled as he gave me a rather calm and reassuring smile. In that moment, I saw a quick movement behind him. "Toshii! Behind you!" I frantically shouted. "Tch! Shit!" Toshii shouted as he clenched his teeth and cocked his right arm back. As he turned around, I caught glimpse of a sharp object just below his chin. Toshii quickly stopped his movement and tried to pull his head back, but he was a second late.

The sharp object passed through the left portion of Toshii's face vertically. "T-Toshii …" I mumbled as the sound of blood dripping entered my ears. Toshii lets out a groan and his body slowly falls onto his knees. "Pft. You are a mere shadow of your former self. Here I thought you'd actually put up a fight." The lackey said as held the sharp object by its black handle. It was … a knife. "Y-Yuno …" Toshii muttered as he slowly turned around to face me. My mouth was left wide open and my tears freely trickled down as I saw a vertical slash wound on the left portion of Toshii's face. It starts on his left cheek and ends somewhat after his left eyebrow. It was deep enough to blind his left eye entirely. I could only gasp for air as the sheer fear of losing him entered my mind. He's going to die … he's going to die … Toshii's going to die! "T-Toshii! Your eye! D-Do some-" "I … have to … free y …" He muttered as suddenly, he felt flat onto the concrete floor. His voice … was filled with urgency, with fear.

I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. This never happened before. I kept on shouting, calling out his name, but he wasn't responding. His body … wasn't even moving any longer. "Pft. What a waste. You disappoint me, 'Thanatos'" The lackey shouted as he gave Toshii's body a swift kick on the side of his stomach. "S-Stop! Stop that! Get away from him!" I tearfully cried out. "Oh? Come on, missy. He's just a corpse by now. Now, he's gone … I'll be sure to take my time on you …" He said as he gave me another cold glare with his eyes. I kept on trying to set my wrists free, but it was no use, I can't free myself and help Toshii. I frantically tried to move back as the lackey began to walk towards me, but the rope was keeping me tied down to this rusty radiator. As his shadow loomed over me, I could only close my eyes in fear. I … won't let him defile me! I just have to ... bite my tounge ... Toshii … I'll see you in the afte-

 **TWITCH.**

* * *

 _Come on. Don't just lie there. This is my final push, alright? You're practically a big boy now, right? Pft. Show him. Show him the real reason why we are feared in the underground society._

I let out a loud groan as I gasped for air. I could feel my whole body shaking in pain as my blood trickled down from this fatal wound. I … I can't see with my left eye. That slash managed to slice my iris earlier. Fuck … fuck it hurts. I could feel the numbing pain surging towards my brain. This isn't the time to lie down and die on this cold concrete floor. I still have to save a damsel in distress. As another dose of adrenaline kicks in, I pushed my aching and numb body upwards. "Oh? He's still alive? Well, looks like I have to properly kill you first before I'll have fun with this cute girl." The lackey said as he stopped in his tracks and looked towards my direction. "T-Toshii … Toshii!" Yuno frantically shouted. Ugh. I need to somehow adapt to this situation of mine. My left eye's beyond saving now. Pft. Within a few seconds, I have to get my body be used to this halved eyesight of mine. "Stop chasing skirts and finish the job, you fucker. I'll be sure to chop that dick of yours off and stick it up in your ass." I said as I sluggishly stood up. "Hoho. Di-"

"The next thing you'll say is, die with that snarky attitude of yours, right?" I said. My words caught the lackey by surprised. "You never knew the real reason why I was called as Thanatos, right? How about I give you a brief explanation," I said as I brought out my blades. "I was called as the grim reaper all thanks to my tenacity. No matter what kind of pain or torture I went through, I made sure … that I fulfil my side of the contract. If your name pops out in my contract, I'll be sure … that I will forever haunt you till I take that life of yours." I stated. "So? Is that supposed to make me fear you?" He asked. "Pft. Props to you. You actually managed to give me a more painful experience than my uncle," I said as I began walking towards him. "You took my left eye, hm? Looks like I have to repay your 'kindness', right?!" I menacingly stated as a sudden jolt of excitement and pleasure entered my mind.

As our blades clashed, my sense of pain numbed down. I could hardly feel the pain coming from my eye as I completely got him on the defensive. "W-What the hell?! Where the hell did this speed and strength came from?!" The lackey shouted in surprise as I managed to land a couple of slashes throughout his body. "Did you know? If you wound a reaper, you have to be sure that you could drag yourself out of hell alive!" I gleefully shouted as I pushed him against the wall with my blades. I pushed my left elbow against his throat, and was about to go for the killing blow. To my surprise, he used his left arm to shield his vital spot from my blade. He then kicks me away and tries to create a space between us. "Oh? What happened to your flair? Come on. Try to kill me! I dare you!" I shouted I went on the offensive once again.

In a dire attempt to kill me, he punched me on my left eye wound. As the sudden sharp pain made me take a step backwards, he tries to slash my throat with that knife of his. To his surprise, I caught the knife by my hand. As the blade cuts through the flesh of my left palm, I quickly stabbed him through the wrist with one of my blades. He painfully shouted as the blade penetrated completely his wrist. His blood splattered across the floor as I quickly disarmed him from his weapon. In that moment, our dance macabre has ended. With one swift slash, his throat was sliced open and blood gushed out. He could only groan and desperately gasp for air as I place my blade in front of his left eye. "An eye for an eye, am I right?" I menacingly said as I stabbed him through his left eye. I forcefully pry out his eye and kicked his body aside. "Never fuck with me …" I muttered as I noticed my strength disappearing from my very core.

As I threw his eyeball aside and retract my blades, I fell on my knees. "T-Toshii … Are you okay?! Get me out of here so that I could tend to your wound!" Yuno frantically cried out as the numbing pain came back. I could feel my hands shaking as I tried my best to muster enough strength to drag my body towards Yuno. "Give me … a break, will you? I can't even move anymore … here," I said as I took out one of my blade and slid it towards Yuno. "I … I am sorry, Toshii! Because of me … you lost your left eye … because of m-" "Shut it. Let's leave … the drama for later." I said as I slid my diary towards her. I could barely keep my eye open anymore. I lost too much blood. I … I might actually lose consciousnesses any second now. "C-Contact Nee-sama … and tell her to pick us up," I painfully said as my breathing caught Yuno's attention. "Let's not … do this again, alright, Yuno? I'm not … a big fan of saving … damsels in distress …" I muttered as I gave her a weary smile. "Toshii …" Yuno muttered with tears falling down from her eyes.

 **BZZZZZZZZZZZZT!**

Again, another static came from our diaries. The look of relief in Yuno's eyes was suddenly replaced with fear and urgency. "T-Toshii! Get out of there!" Yuno frantically shouted. With every last once of strength, I turned around. I saw something strapped on the concrete column near the entrance. Wait. That's a … C3 explosive! A-Arashi! He-

 **BOOOOOOOOM!**

I felt the shock wave passing through me from the nearby explosion. Odd. Everything went slow. I could see the ceiling cracking as the smoke and flames slowly went towards me. I can't … get out of this one. This is probably … the end of the line for me. I can't even move my legs anymore. As I felt the heat of the flames sinking into my skin, a sudden set of memories flashed in my mind. My childhood, my days in the orphanage, my life as a young assassin, and lastly, my memories in the past two years. Heh. This is it for me. Everything's flashing before my eye. I got too complacent. I am really rusty, after all. I lost my edge. I wanted to go out with a bang, right? I think this is enough for me …

 _Toshii!_

Hearing Yuno's voice filled with despair made me flinch. That's right … I need to fulfill my contract with her. At this position though, I can't … kill her. Heh. What am I saying? I can't kill that girl who taught me how to love once more. I can't kill the girl who taught me how to cherish the little things in our lives. Those little moments where we spend the entire day at peace, where we could stare at the blue sky for a long, long time while I rest my head on top of her lap. Those were … I … I suddenly felt like crying as I realized something. I never said I love you to her. Heh … heh. I … I don't want …

I don't want to die yet …

I reached out for her. I'm not sure if she'll hear this, but this is all I could do now. As time slowly went back to normal, I could hear the concrete ceiling crashing down behind me as I tried to say the words that I want to properly convey to her. Before I could even mutter those words, the cold darkness embraced me.


	11. His Purpose

As I stared blankly at the debris that fell flat on the black-haired boy that I love, the rope finally came loose but now, I can't even move any muscle. I was too stunned, too devastated. With my trembling hands, I checked his diary. To my utter surprise, his previous entry … was voided. The scenario where he was crushed by a debris was erased and was replaced with a scenario where he dies due to blood lost. "T-Toshii … Toshii! I'll get you out of there!" I shouted as I ran towards the debris with tears flowing freely from my eyes. One by one, I moved the pieces of debris aside. Some of them were heavy, some of them had some pieces of shrapnel that managed to cut my palms. I don't care about the pain. I don't care if these wounds will leave scars in my hands. I only want to see him again, I want to hold him again. "I'll find you, Toshii! Just don't give up!" I shouted as I kept on pushing the debris aside.

"Gasai? Where the hell is Toshiro?" A familiar female voice asked. I averted my eyes in front of me. Our purple-haired terrorist ally carefully entered the room. "Were you … the one who planted that bomb?" I coldly asked as I shifted my eyes back to the rubble. "What? What are you talking about? I haven't detonated my explosives yet! Wait. Is he …" Minene said as she slowly realized what happened in the room. "Help me find him! Stop looking around and help me!" I annoyingly shouted. She then pulls out her phone and dialled a number. After a few seconds, she began talking to someone. "Oy! Where are you?! We need you here, Mist," She said as she kept a close eye in the hallway. "What? What the hell happened? Where's Yuno-chan? Where's To-" "If you want to see you brother alive, get your ass over here! Now!" Minene shouted as she ends the call and began helping me.

After a few minutes, a panting Mist arrived in the room. "What the hell happened here?! Where's Toshiro?!" Mist frantically asked as we nearly reached bottom of the debris. "We don't have much time! Please! Help us! He's under the rubble! We only have a couple of minutes left before he bleeds out!" I frantically answered to which he quickly obliged. After moving some rubble, I finally saw his black hair. "Toshii!" I shouted with some relief in my voice. Mist and Minene quickly moved the surrounding rubble aside, and we found Toshii who's still faintly breathing. I grabbed him and slowly pulled him out. "H-His eye … what happened to his eye?!" Mist frantically asked with fear in his voice as he took out a clean piece of cloth to apply pressure on Toshii's wound. "He … faced his former partner's lackey. He underestimated him …" I replied as he began tending Toshii. "We need to go! I could hear them coming!" Minene shouted as she pulls out her pistol and readies her detonating device. Mist slowly picked Toshii up from my hands. "Minene! Cover me! We'll rush him back to my car and bring him to the hospital!" He shouted. We sprinted as fast as we could as we escaped the abandoned factory. Minene used her explosives to keep the armed men at bay. Finally reached the car with Toshii's body slowly becoming cold. As Mist began driving towards the nearest hospital, I held Toshii's cold body in my arms. He's still fighting, and as long he keeps on breathing, I won't give up on him.

* * *

I slowly opened my eye. The purple-ish dome ceiling of a familiar Cathedral was the first thing that I saw. Where the hell am I? Did I die? I should've died earlier, right? I was pretty sure I was crushed by a debris or bled out to death. I slowly sat up. Why am I here in the Causality Cathedral? I don't get it. Is this where the dead participants go once they die?

 _Not really._

A familiar voice behind me got my attention. I turned around to see Shaco, who's much more transparent from before. "S-Shaco … what happened to you? Wait. Am I d-" "No, you're not. I told you, didn't I? I gave you one final push. Your sheer instinct and will to survive kept you alive when you lost consciences." Shaco stated as he stared at me blankly. "I-I see. Odd. I really believed that I died earlier. Is Yuno okay?" I asked him. "I don't know. I'm pretty sure Minene and aniki came around to help her. If you're still here, that means they managed to escape that factory with your body." He replied as he began walking around. "Oh. Wait. Are we in my dream world?" I asked him as I followed his movement with my eyes. Something's off. His presence feels more … dreadful than the usual. "No. This is the real Casualty Cathedral. Our very existence … is linked here." He replied.

"Huh? Our existence?" I asked. His words … are really confusing. Why are we linked here? Why are we linked to the realm of Deus? "Yeah. Think of our meeting right now as a, soul-to-soul conversation. I'm … no longer in your head, after all." Shaco replied as he sat down on our iron throne. "What? The hell are you talking about? Seriously, speak some sense, man. I don't underst-" "I don't have much time left. I made this meeting possible so that I could ready you for your true purpose," He said with a cold tone in his voice. My true purpose? "Don't worry. I'm not going to use you or anything. Before anything else, Toshiro, do you want to know the truth of this world?" He asked. "The truth?" I mumbled. Something is really off. Why is it I'm starting to feel uneasy? This never happened before whenever I talked to him. "Yeah, the truth. Aru, Akise knows it. MurMur and Deus knows it too," He said as he stood up. "And I found out about it when my consciousness, my essence, my very soul was transferred into yours." He said as he slowly began walking towards me.

Truth … what is the truth that he speaks off? The truth … of this world? "I do believe that you had feeling before that you got caught up in a bigger mess, right?" Shaco asked. "Y-Yeah. Back when I talked to Akise." I replied. "Well, at least you had a hunch. What do you think?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "I … we're a part of … a bigger problem. A problem that is linked to Deus and to this realm." I replied. Hearing my reply, he lets out a faint chuckle. "Heh. Sharp as ever. Alright. Do you want to know the truth? I could give it to you, and answer the purpose of your very existence." He asked once more. For a second, I hesitated. Do I want to know the truth of this world? Will it even matter? Will it affect me in some way? "If it does answer the meaning of my existence, then go ahead. I'm all ears." I replied. Shaco then looked at me with a curious look in his eyes. "Are you sure? Once you hear it … once you experience it … once you see his memories, you can never go back. You can never go back to Yuno." He stated with a slight-worried tone in his voice. I can't go back to Yuno? Why? Is she even involved to this?

"Pft. Who do you think I am? No matter happens, I'll make it back to her. You entrusted her to me, right? Have some faith in me." I said as I gave him a smile. Shaco lets out a sigh and looked at me with his weary eyes. "The world where you live in … the world where I came from … it all doesn't matter." Shaco said with a mellow tone in his voice. "It doesn't matter? What do yo-" "All of our efforts, actions, will never reach reality. We are … temporary beings, Toshiro." He said. Hearing his words made me feel nauseous. Temporary beings … I know he isn't talking about mortality. He's talking about our very existence. "This world … is a mere proxy, made to keep a certain goddess busy. This world … is only keeping her at bay while he recovers." He said as my chest suddenly felt pain. "Pr-Proxy? What the hell are you talking about? Are you … talking about Yuno? W-Who's recovering?!" I frantically asked him as my confusion is slowly shaking my very mind.

 _Yukki._

Hearing what Shaco muttered was enough to make me frantic. Somehow deep down, I had a feeling that word was connected to something greater. Yuno muttered that when we fought off Tenth's dogs. Out of the blue, a name popped out in my mind. "Yukiteru …" I muttered. "Bingo. Amano, Yukiteru. The First Diary user … and one of the gods of the Third world," Shaco said as the dome of the Casualty Cathedral began to rise. Beyond the dome was vast darkness, but at the far end of my sight, I saw a faint light, illuminating a pod-like looking objects. "He is … Yuno's lover. He is the true first diary user. We are merely … his proxies. We were made by MurMur and Deus to save the world and Yuno from destruction." He stated. At this point, I can't even think clearly now. I don't know what the hell I should think of. This guy … is Yuno's lover? What the does that mean? Who's the Yuno that I began to love?

"See those two sleeping pods? Yuno's real body and the fragments of Yukiteru's existence lies inside those pods." Shaco said. Now everything's dark, I can't even see him anymore. Without hesitating, I began running towards the said pods. I am no longer thinking properly at this point. The thought of someone else taking Yuno away from me was melting my mind. I … don't want that. I don't care if he's the real first diary user. I will … have Yuno. I will destroy his very existence and cl-

Suddenly, I felt down onto the floor. It felt like someone tripped me. "Don't you see it? No matter what you do, you can never reach them. I tried, and nothing happened. We are always stuck here, in the grounds of the Casualty Cathedral." Shaco muttered with a pained tone. "S-Shut up … shut up! Shut up!" I frantically shouted as I stood up and began running towards the pods once more. No matter how fast I ran, no matter how long I kept on running towards the pods, I never seem to reach it. It felt like was I forever stuck in the boundaries of the Cathedral. I am forever bounded in this place … is that what Shaco is trying to say?

"When I first found out … I was devastated. It shook me to my very core. MurMur … showed me his memories and how he was accidently erased by Yuno. Yuno, in a fit of regret and despair, began destroying the world. Luckily, Deus and MurMur were still there and they somehow managed to stop her. Knowing that the world will slowly crumble down, they placed Yuno and the fragments of Amano's existence and linked them to a proxy world that Deus created with his remaining powers," Shaco stated as I fell down on my knees. This isn't happening. I … should've not asked him for it. I don't want to hear this anymore! "They have to somehow keep Yuno from further destroying the world and restore Amano's existence in a limited time. That is why … we were created. Our very being is a proxy existence created to keep Yuno's mind busy, if not, she will destroy everything. If we they can't restore her Yukki, she'll never snap out of it." He said as I covered my face with my shaking hands.

"I … I don't care … I don't care anymore. Let her destroy the world. We don't have anything else … in this world but her …" I muttered as I felt tears forming in my eye. Why am I … sobbing so hysterically? Am I … that devastated to know that I'm simply a fake being? A being that can be casted aside once it served its purpose? "Tell me, you want to make her happy, right?" Shaco asked me. "I … don't know. I just want to see her smile … I want to give her a shot … a chance to have a normal, boring life …" I muttered. "You are just being selfish. You're simply trying to instil your mindset into hers." Shaco remarked which triggered me. "Selfish? Look who's talking?! What will you achieve by telling me this?! Do you find it amusing that I'm suffering right now?! H-Heh. I bet you're jealous … that you simply want to take over my body and be with h-

 _Listen to yourself. I told you, didn't I? I'm only looking out for her, and for you. As a fading apparition of yours, I won't achieve anything by doing this. I only want you not to suffer that way I did._

"S-Suffer the way you did?" I mumbled. "Remember when I first merged with you? I was … moody, or should I say, wrathful at times. It's not only that I was furious that Yuno killed me, but I found out the truth. MurMur showed it to me. She said she wanted to make things more … interesting for the last minute." Shaco said as I blankly stared at the floor. "Interesting for the last … minute?" I asked him. "This proxy world, is ending. Everything will soon disappear. Aniki, Father, the Nee-sama that we know, the Yuno that you desperately want to hold, will disappear. Amano will wake up soon. The proxy world will be no longer needed." He replied. Hearing his explanations, his stories, is making my heart into a void. The pain was unbearable. I was … breaking. My sanity was at its edge. Everything that I did, everything I went through, everything I had to endure, means nothing at the end.

At that point, I don't give a damn anymore. I can't do anything about it. I have no power to do anything. I might as well vanish now. Suddenly, Shaco threw a red crystal towards me. To my surprise, a bright light engulfed me.

* * *

Where am I …? Where did he take me? What was tha-

 _Oy, you okay? It's like you saw a ghost or something._

A rather unfamiliar voice asked behind me. I slowly turned around. To my surprise, it was MurMur, who busy reading some decaying manga. W-What? What the hell … I was with Shaco earlier. Where is this place? It's somewhat similar to the unveiled Casualty Cathedral. "It was nothing …" I muttered. Wait. What happened to my voice? Why do I sound different? I noticed that I was holding onto a blue flip phone. Huh? This isn't my phone. I carefully looked at it. Odd, since it's somewhat similar to Yuno's diary. Speaking of diary, perhaps this is a diary too.

7/28 4:57 [Sakurami Junior High]  
Yuno's dead.

Huh? W-What is this? That's the only entry here. Yuno … is dead? That can't be. I … saved her, right? Wait. My Death Diary isn't capable of foreseeing a death a month before it happens. W-What is happening? This isn't my dairy! Where the hell am I?! Suddenly, I heard a crack somewhere above me. To my utter surprise, the void was cracked open and I saw a certain pink-haired girl holding a hammer entering this domain. She was wearing a night-gown and had a huge smile on her face. "Y-Yuno …" I muttered as I noticed the huge smile on her face. "I finally found you, Yukki!" Yuno cried out happily.

Wait. Yukki?

I felt my mind breaking into a thousand shards as I realized my situation. I am … reliving his memory. I am inside Amano's body. My chest was about to burst as the pain in my heart grew. W-Why … why did you show me this, Shaco? Why do you … want me to suffer?! I can't control this body. I-I have to … get away from here. I don't want to see this … I don't want to see that smile of hers as she holds onto his hands! Someone … please. Blind me! I don't want to … see her with another man! I don't want to see her smile that shows her true happiness is with this person!

I didn't know that I was capable of screaming with much despair filling my thoughts.

* * *

How many minutes, hours, has passed ever since I began looking at my 2nd world counterpart like this? How long have I staring at his broken spirit, kneeling and staring into the darkness. No matter what I do, he doesn't respond to my calls. He would start sobbing hysterically and slam his head onto the floor, but he wouldn't feel pain from it. This incorporeal plane cannot harm our souls. I think … it was a wrong decision for me to actually show him Amano's memories. I casted aside the red crystal I was holding into the darkness.

I … broke him. It's my fault. I should've kept quiet till the very end. I only have a few minutes left before I completely disappear. Maybe … it was better for him not to know about the truth and continued on playing the game like before. He could've stayed with her much longer. He could've enjoyed his remaining time much longer before he gets erased into the void.

My mind was filled with doubts and regrets. Just like before, I found myself asking if I did the right action, if I've chosen the best option. Was it selfish of me to make him chase for his own ending with his limited time? I was wrong. I know how broken he was from the start since we are the same entity after all, but I chose to further break his sanity believing it was the right thing to do. I am … more pathetic than him. No apology can save him now. He reached a point where he'll simply kneel there, waiting for the very end to come. As I felt my limbs starting to crumble, to fade away, I noticed a slight movement from him. He suddenly began laughing like a madman. He sounded like he finally won something in our cursed life. "Toshiro?" I muttered. "I have two options, right?" He said as his laughing fit slowly dies down. "Yes. You can stay here and not return to your physical body. You can just … wait out for the end here. The other option is t-" "Is to make her happy, right? To give her true happiness?" He said as he turned around. The dead look in his eyes made me remember that I was in the same scenario as he is right now.

"I … made up my mind. I can't just kneel down and cry here till the very end. That would be just simply pathetic," He said as he stood up and faced me. "Remember the words you used to say, Shaco. We will die or disappear in our own terms. We will go out in a bang, right? A way where everyone will love us, will remember us." He said with a weary tone in his voice as he began walking towards me. "You're actually … still going to fight?" I muttered as he stopped in front of me. "Knowing how this whole survival game would end is pretty much ... boring, don't you think? I don't plan to end this like how Amano or you did. I'll make my own ending. With this limited time that I have, I'll be sure to make my wish come true." He said with a weary smirk on his face. "And here I am thinking that I broke you even further …" I mumbled as I find myself smiling in my last final moments.

"You can't break something that was already broken from the start." He said as he passed by me. "I think I lived out my purpose, don't you think? I became a mentor, a voice of reason for you. I think … that was my meaning of my existence." I muttered as he stopped in his tracks. "Pft. Softy as ever. Don't worry, I don't intend to fade away without answering my own. Also, thanks, Toshiro. I'm … going to take up your challenge. I won't follow your route. I know there's no such ending as a good end for the both of us, but I'll be sure to make an ending where I can be satisfied with." He stated with conviction in his tone. I'm never going to get used to this. Why is he so fast in adapting in his scenarios? I was never that quick, or maybe, by merging and becoming a voice of reason for him, he became much greater than I was. Heh. Hm … I feel a bit … poetic right now … Yuno … I'll never reach you again … huh? As I faded into the void, I recited some words that suddenly came out from my mind.

She is a queen, a goddess, while I am merely a jester, here to entertain her as her king slowly recovers from her folly.

I can never … call her as mine.


	12. Last Chance

I could feel a slight tremble in my hands as I slowly regain my consciousness. I slowly opened my eyes. Odd, I can't open my other … oh, right. Due to my stupidity and ego, I lost my eye to Arashi's lackey. As I opened right eye, a blurry and unfamiliar white ceiling was the first thing that I saw. Oh wait … I know this kind of ceiling. I tried to push myself up and sit down on this bed that I was lying on, but my body is a bit too banged up and I can't feel my limbs. They probably drugged me down so that I wouldn't feel any pain. How long was I out? I can hardly remember anything after that C3 exploded behind us. I really thought I was a goner. Am I right, Shaco? A deafening silence within my mind caught my attention. That's odd. Is he resting? Seriously, how long does he plans to rest? How long will he give me this cold shoul …

Oh.

That's … right. He's gone. He disappeared after our talk, after he told me everything that he knew. I could feel my hands shaking and my breathing growing erratic as I remembered every single thing that he told me.

 _We are merely a proxy to keep Yuno busy while her King recovers._

A-A proxy, you say? I … What entered my mind that I actually accepted that fact? Shaco left with a smile knowing that I surpassed him, but did I really surpass him? At that time, I simply said those words so that I could get out of that state and come back to my physical body. If I stayed like that, I wouldn't be able to make a plan or some sorts. I … can't simply do that. I can't accept that. If … only if, if I manage to win this survival game and kill off my competition, isn't there a slight possibility that I could become a 'real being'? If I become a god of this world, aren't I capable of replacing Amano's existence? I … I need to talk to Deus.

* * *

I closed my eye and concentrated my thoughts. I focused my mind into having a private-meeting with the god of time and space. The moment I reopened my eyes, I was standing on top of my pedestal while the benevolent being floated in front of me with a curious look in his eyes. "Ah, Toshiro. Glad to see you're fine. I thought someone managed to fulfil your wish, but I see that you simply lost an eye." Deus said with a rather welcoming tone. "Not just yet. I can't die just yet, Deus Ex Machina. I still have an ongoing contract that I have to fulfil. Anyway, I'm here to ask you something." I said as my body slowly adapts into my current scenario. "Does it concern about the survival game? Ask ahead." He said as he brought out his godly contraptions. "No. It's actually something greater. I won't ask you for the meaning of life or that bullshit, but I am here to confirm something," I said as we exchanged our glares. "Is this world … a fake? Is it a proxy?" I asked him. Suddenly, he began laughing. The god of space and time was actually laughing from my words.

"Interesting! You actually managed to figure that out!" Deus shouted in a rather gleeful manner. While the known god of space and time is having a chuckle, I can't help but to feel tense. Wait. That means … what Shaco told me was true, right? "S-So, it is?" I asked him once again as he calmed down. "Did your first world counterpart tell you about this?" He asked. "Does it matter? I just want you to answer my damn question. If this is a fake world, which means you're a fake god, right?" I replied as I kept my glare on him. Suddenly, I felt something heavy and powerful choking me and I can't even move a muscle. "Why are you so interested in the truth? You are merely a proxy being whose time is running out, but you're here asking me these questions. I did a good job creating you," He remarked as I felt my body trembling. "As your creator, don't I deserve some respect from you? With one simple wave of my hand, I could erase your existence completely. You won't even reach the end of this world …" He menacingly said as he brought his figure closer to my pedestal. Tch. I can't help but to clench my teeth as fear slowly entered into my mind. I'm facing a god. Fake or not, he's capable of simply killing me whenever he feels like it. I-I made … a wrong move.

"Bah. I'm simply teasing you. I don't have the enough power to do those things. I already gave most of my powers to Amano, Yukiteru and Gasai, Yuno. Be at ease." Deus said as he lifts off the aura that was choking my body, thus allowing me to move once again. "Y-You … I just want answers, damn it …" I muttered as I fell on my knees, trying to shake off this fear inside of my head. "Will it matter? If I do answer you, what will you get from it?" He asked me as I slowly pushed myself up. "Satisfaction. At this point, lying wouldn't even do anything for me," I said as I clenched my fists. "Tell me! Is there a way I could replace Amano's existence?! Is there a way that I could be wi-"

 _Don't be foolish. A mere proxy cannot replace the original being._

His reply froze me in mid-sentence. "Yes, a proxy can be better than the real thing, but you can never replace him since in the end of the day, you two are different beings," Deus stated as my eye blankly stared at him. I am utterly defeated. I have no power … to change this outcome. I have no ability to get me out of this scenario. "Like Akise, you are a one of my creations that helped me to keep the world in check. In your case, you kept Gasai, Yuno's consciousness busy, thus once Amano, Yukiteru comes back, the real world will be saved due to your efforts. That achievement alone is rather, gratifying, I believe." He stated as I noticed the dead expression that was on my face as I saw my reflection on his ceramic plating. He doesn't understand a thing, huh? Even though he created me, he doesn't know a single thing about me. I want to punch him, to literately destroy him with my hands, but will it even matter? As I looked at my shaking hands, I came to my final decision.

 _Do you want to give her fake happiness?  
_ _Or do you want to give her the one true happiness that she deserves?_

"I … don't have any choice, don't I?" I muttered as I find myself smiling in this harrowing scenario. My soul was utterly shattered. "I am sorry, but this is your role. This is the purpose of your existence." Deus apologized with a rather sincere tone. Letting out a sigh of defeat, I suddenly began laughing. Even Deus was surprised when I began hysterically laughing in front of him. My sanity … heh. Am I still capable of being called sane at this point? Am I still thinking rationally? I don't know … but I've decided to what to do. "Tell me, Deus. The ending of this whole survival game in this proxy world wouldn't even matter, right?" I asked him as my laughing fit slowly dies down. "It wouldn't." He replied. "I see. It wouldn't matter if I were to change the ending, right?" I asked him once again. "What are you planning?" He asked. "Heh. I'll go out with style. I'll make things more … interesting. So, how about it? How about making a deal with me?" I asked him with a smirk on my face. This is my last chance. This is my only chance to achieve my ideal ending. "What do you propose?" He asked with a curious look on his eyes. "How about … I gather every diary in this survival game? The user can be alive or dead, but it doesn't matter on how I managed to get the diaries. Once I gather the 12 diaries, how about you grant me a wish?" I asked. "Hoho. That never happened in the previous events. Even Amano, Yukiteru was not capable of doing that feat. So? What would you ask in return?" He replied with a rather creepy smile on his face. I simply gave him a smirk before I gave him what I truly want to achieve my ideal ending.

* * *

I found myself back in my physical body as I finished negotiating with Deus. I feel a bit more … calm knowing that if I manage to get the 12 diaries in my hands, I could get what I want. At this point, this is the only thing I could do. The thing is … Shaco told me to create my own route, my own ending. At this point, throwing tantrum will not do anything. I'd be just wasting my time. Speaking time, I don't have that much left. "A route that I wouldn't normally take, huh?" I muttered to myself as I gently raised my bandaged right arm.

 _Toshii?_

A rather sleepy Yuno slowly raised her head as she noticed that I was already awake. She must've watched over me while I was out cold. She was sitting right beside my bed as she gently rubbed her eyes. I noticed some dark circles below her eyes, and her eyes were a bit reddish. Was she … crying while she was looking over me? "Hey." I muttered as I tried to give her a smile. "Did you just wake up, Toshii? How are you feeling?" Yuno asked me as she wiped away some tears in her eyes. "Yeah, I just did. Hm … well, if you consider being drugged to a point that you feel numb all over good, I guess I'm doing fine." I replied. Hearing my reply, she let out a chuckle with a relieved expression on her face. "I-I … I'm sorry about your eye … I failed to protect you … I was the reason why you almost died …" Yuno muttered with a sad tone in her voice. The faint smile that was on her face vanished and was replaced with a harrowed expression which was filled with regret and pain. Seeing her like that made me wonder. Is she treating me like this … is she in love with me, no, obsessed with me, since at this proxy world, I am Amano's temporary replacement? Is she staying by my side since I am merely in Amano's shoes right now?

I … can't show her that inside, I'm practically being torn apart. I can't tell her that every time I see her smile, her face, it reminds me about Amano's memories, and how she is genuinely happy when she's with him. A jester must know his bounds, but what can he do when he yearns for the queen to this extent? What can he do when the person that he loves the most, can never be his?

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault. I got … complacent. My ego and my pride got the best of me." I stated as I placed my left hand on top of her shaking hands. As I gently caressed her hands, that harrowing expression was slowly soothed. "B-But … I could've pro-" "Excuse me, Ms. Gasai. I believe that our contract states that I'll be doing the protecting. Didn't I tell you before? You back me up." I said as I gave her a reaffirming smile. Hearing my words, Yuno simply bowed her head and embraced my left hand. I could hear her trying to stop her tears, while some were already dropping onto my hand. "Geez. You're such a cry baby." I muttered. Knowing that my time was running, I might as well cherish moment that I have with her. Who knows what will happen once I reach the limit.

Do I simply vanish, or will I watch this world crumble down?

* * *

Days flew by as I slowly began to rehabilitate my body from my wounds. I believe I was hospitalized here in Sakurami State Hospital during the early hours of June 22th. Now, it's already the first week of July and I'm reaching the final stages of my short rehab phase. Due to my capability to quickly adapt to any type of scenario I'm in, my body managed to adjust into this 'halved-state' of mine. Generally, losing an eye is practically throwing the balance that you established in your mind into a mess. I could still function pretty okay, but I had to take my time in readjusting my body's balance.

After going through my final rehab session, I went back to my room. The nurse tried to assist me, but I can manage. As I slid open the wooden door of my room, my visitors welcomed me with a smiles on their faces. "Toshii! Welcome back! How was your final rehab session?" Yuno asked with a big smile on her face as she ran towards me. "Why are you asking me this? Weren't you watching? Pft. Come on, love. You're losing your touch in your stalking ability." I said with a chuckle as I entered the room, closing the door behind me. "Heh. Did you hear that? Toshiro is actually using the word 'love' nowadays." Mist remarked as him and Minene were chuckling in a corner. "Well, our little brother is getting soft nowadays. Give him some rest. He's starting to become like his elder sister after all." Minene commented as she continued to peel an apple with a grin on her face. "Elder sister? Are you guys dating now?" I asked as I sat down on top of my bed, with Yuno ogling and embracing my right arm.

"Actually, no. Your big brother isn't my type, you know. We just had a talk … last night." Minene replied as she finishes peeling the apple. "Yeah. I don't like girls who would bite off my dick whenever I whip it out." Mist remarked in a playful manner. "Shut it. Anyway, yeah. I told him … that you were like a younger brother to me too. Besides the fact you took my left eye, to which I still hold a grudge, but other than that, yeah. We're good." Minene said as she flicked her finger onto aniki's forehead. "Ouch! I'll tell Nishijima!" Mist playfully said as he acted like he was hurt by Minene's simple flick. "How … sweet. I should've recorded that, Nee-sama. Pft. Seriously though, sorry. I just did what I to drive you off. You never know, I might actually let you kill me in the end. Heh." I remarked which caught Yuno's attention. "No one's killing Toshii! I'll kill them before they could even try to touch him!" Yuno said with annoyance in her voice as she tighten her embrace on my right arm. "Yare, yare. Give me a break, will ya?" I muttered with a sigh. Heh. This is my family, huh? Yeah, my big brother is an information broker, my so called big sister is a terrorist who's probably going to try to kill me later, and this girl beside me is a goddess from another timeline. Heh. I can't ask for more than this. I'm actually happy with this.

After a while laughing and bickering playfully on small things, a sudden knock on the door caught our attention. "Ah. My guest finally arrived." I said as I slowly stood up from my seat. "Hm? Who is that, Toshii?" Yuno curiously asked as I noticed that she was holding onto her diary. "A friend … or some sorts." I said as I walked towards the door and slid it open. A certain silver-haired boy with rose eyes stood outside of my room. He had the usual smirk on his face as we made eye contact. "Hey there, Toshiro-kun. I see you're recovering quite well." Akise said with a smile as I noticed he was holding onto a basket of fruits. "Those are not poisoned, right? Kidding. Come on in." I said as I let Akise enter my hospital room. "Y-You! What are you doing here?!" Yuno asked with a surprised tone as I noticed the alerted expression on her face. "He's here to talk. Uh. Is it alright for me to ask for you guys to step out? I have something to discuss with him. Something private." I asked the three as Akise places the basket on top of the table near my bed. "Pft. Don't tell me you're coming out of the closet. Anyway, come on. Let's go buy something in the cafeteria." Mist said as he sluggishly stood up. "Ack. I hate hospital food." Minene said as she stood up and followed Mist towards the door. "Also, Yuno. Can you … leave your diary here?" I asked Yuno, who was clearly reluctant of leaving the room. "W-Why? Why do I have to leave my diary, Toshii? Is there … something you don't want me to know? Is that the reason why you told me not to use my diary unless we're in a scenario?" Yuno asked as I quickly noticed the blank and lustreless look in her pink eyes. Uh oh, she's triggered.

"No. It's not like that. First off, we're going to discuss something about the survival game. I'll brief you guys later, but I have to make sure what he's telling me is true. Second, I forbid you to use your diaries during normal days like these since, at most, I want you to feel like you're a simple teenage girl, living her days with her boyfriend and his family," I said as I slowly approached her and gently held her hands. "Trust me, love. I am not hiding anything from you. I know your diary is like a cheat device which tells my feelings, and emotions, but at this point, do you even have to use it? I mean, we could always talk it out." I said as I rest my forehead onto hers. Slowly, her eyes reverted to its normal state once again. "J-Just don't take long … I'm a jealous girlfriend after all." Yuno said as she held firmly onto my hands. "Got it. This won't take long, promise." I said as I gave a kiss on her forehead. Yuno then leaves her diary on top of my bed and exits the room with aniki and Minene.

"You heard the commander. Let's make this short." I said as I locked the door and sat down in front of Akise. "Heh. It was rather surprising for you to ask me to go here. I mean, after our talk in the café, I was expecting you wouldn't talk to me anymore." Akise said with a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Akise, you still have your memories, right? Since you're an observer after all." I asked him as I placed my diary beside Yuno's. "About the previous world?" He asked. "No. The real world." I replied as I kept my eye contact with him. For a second, I noticed a surprised look in his eyes. "You found out." He remarked with a smile. "Yeah. Took a while to absorb everything in, but here I am. A bit broken, a bit shattered, heck, if not for this chance, I would probably chose to abandon my physical body and stay at the Casualty Cathedral till the time limit, but enough of that." I stated. "So, what do you want to know?" He asked once again as he kept on grinning at me.

"Hm … first things first, since this world … this current timeline in this proxy world is on its 2nd cycle, does that mean the real world had multiple worlds too?" I asked Akise as he began playing with his fingers. "Something like that. So far, there's only three worlds. The current world where Yukiteru-kun's existence was erased is the third world." Akise replied. "Heh. Guess I was merely following his footsteps in my own way. Anyway, could you tell me how the events of the second world played out?" I asked him once again as I kept a close eye on the door. I have hunch feeling that Yuno's listening, but I don't know. I don't sense her or anything, but I felt uneasy. "Are you sure about this? I mean, isn't this going against your 'no cheating' principle? If I do tell you, you'll have an insight on the scenarios that you could actually die in." He asked with a curious look in his eyes. "Now isn't the time for that. I only have one chance on this. If I fail … well, come on. Do the temporary being a favour, will ya?" I replied with a faint chuckle. "You look quite desperate with the dead look in your eyes." He remarked. "Pft. I am desperate." I stated as I gave him a faint grin.

After letting out a sigh, Akise instructed me to get a pen and paper so that I could jot down the list of events that happened during Amano's last run in the survival game. He told me our first possible adversary, which are the Sevenths. I didn't asked for any names, but I asked him to at least give me a hint about their personalities. He told me that the Sevenths consists of a couple that has capable enough to fight me and Yuno. Their diary was similar to Yuno's since it tells them what's going to happen to their partner. Next up, is the Eighth. He told me that she's not a threat, but she plays a key factor in the upcoming fights. If I manage to win her trust and make a deal with her, the Sevenths will cooperate with me. Lastly, we have Eleventh. He told me that Eleventh is probably the most dangerous diary holder in this game due to this connections. He mentioned that Father, like Amano's father, is in a debt all thanks to the Eleventh. The Eleventh will probably use him to take me out of the game.

"That's that. Ninth is still alive all thanks to the interference of Deus Ex Machina, while Gasai … the second Gasai committed suicide since Yukiteru-kun didn't want to kill her." Akise stated as I finished writing down on the piece of paper that I found. "So … as of now, I have two allies and two possible allies. Yuno is no doubt my ally and will side with me till the end. For now, Nee-sama will side with me until she sees a chance to take me out. If I do manage to persuade the Eighth to side with me, the Sevenths will follow. That leaves the Eleventh as our primary enemy." I remarked as I placed the pen aside. "I'm not really sure, but I have a hunch that your former partner is cooperating with the Eleventh. If he fails to use your father to take you out, he's probably going to kill your brother and father to get you. Are you prepared for that scenario?" He asked as he stood up. "I'll … handle it. Thanks. Before you go, one last question." I replied as he began walking towards the door. "Go ahead. Shoot." He said as he looked back towards me. "How much time do I have left?" I asked him with a slight nervous tone. For a second, he hesitated. I could see a look of pity in his eyes.

 _At most, you have 2 weeks left before Yukiteru-kun wakes up._

His reply was enough to silence me. I couldn't think of a snarky remark like I used to. I have two weeks left in my life. 14 more days before I disappear. I'm pretty sure once he wakes up, Yuno will forget about me. "I'll be … leaving now. I'll see you again, Toshiro-kun." Akise said as he exited the room with a slight distressed expression. As I heard the sliding door close, I suddenly felt like crying. Tears suddenly flowed out from my eyes. To be honest, I was quite surprised to know that my left eye is still capable of shedding tears but right now, I don't give a damn about that. With my shaking hands, I covered my face as I tried to stop myself from crying. "I'm … going to … vanish. I'm going to disappear." I kept on muttering those words as I found myself grinning, and smiling as tears freely flowed down.

* * *

After a while, aniki and Minene went back home, leaving me and Yuno inside my hospital room. After eating dinner, Yuno took a quick shower while I stared blankly at the darkness outside. "Can I … even make it? Am I capable of doing it?" I muttered to myself. After calming down earlier, I tore the piece of paper that I used earlier apart and threw it in the trash can. I don't want Yuno to see that. I somehow managed to brush off this feeling of despair and took out my phone. Instead checking my diary, I opened the notepad. It's been a while since I opened this. I know this might sound crazy, but I'm thinking of writing a will. I know it won't mean anything since no one's going to read it in the end, but this might soothe me.

Before I could even start jotting down, I heard the bathroom door opening. Yuno steps out of the bathroom as she dries her hair with her towel. She was only wearing her blue-stripes undergarments. "Ah. How was the water?" I asked her as she walked towards the sofa, which where she placed her pink duffle bag. "It was pretty okay. They have heaters, so it was quite refreshing, Toshii. You want to take a shower? I could give you one." Yuno warmly replied as she began dressing up. "Probably tomorrow. I still don't stink after all. Heh." I replied with a chuckle. "Well, that's because I cleaned your body yesterday," She commented with a smile as she finishes changing into her casual clothing. Since we're in a hospital, she can't wear her usual night dress since the nurse might come visit us during the night. "Anyway, come on, Toshii. Time to change your bandages." She said as she walked towards me with a bowl full of bandages and some ointments.

I slowly stood up from my bed. Yuno then walks up behind me and undid the knot of my hospital dress. I then slowly took off my slightly-green dress. Now, I was standing completely naked in front of her. "Another bunch of scars for you, Toshii." Yuno said as she began undoing my old bandages. "Well, I think that comes with the survival game, love." I commented as I let out another chuckle. After she unwrapped my old bandages, I can't help but to check my new scars. "Hm … one on my right hand, and two on my back. Pretty lengthy, but most them are healed up now, huh?" I remarked as Yuno gave me a tap on my shoulder. "Sit down. You still have one more bandage that needs to be changed." She said as she pointed towards my face. Ah, this one. Following the orders of my personal nurse, I sat down on the edge of my bed. As she slowly undid the bandage of my left eye, I can't help but to notice the pained expression on her face. "Are you thinking that it's your fault again?" I asked her as she gently took off the bandage, leaving a gauze pad on top of my left eye. "A bit … Hm? It's wet?" She replied as she noticed the slight wetness of the gauze pad.

"It is? Wait. Did my wound reope-" "Did you cry earlier, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she slowly took off the gauze pad. "What are you talking about? I don't cry, silly. I already lost the capability of doing that years ago." I replied as I glanced over towards the mirror beside me. I could see a long, yet thin vertical scar that starts from my left check and ends a few centimetres after my left eyebrow. I could try to open my left eye, but I can't fully open it. "Pretty nasty, huh?" I commented as I gently touched my scar. "Why are you lying, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a rather blank tone as she prepares my new bandages. W-Wait. Did she check her diary? I turned my head, but I saw her diary beside my mine on top of the night stand. She didn't pick up her diary after they went back earlier. "What do you mean? I'm not lying. I didn-" "Your eye is reddish and you have darker eye bags than the usual." She calmly said as she began applying some ointment on my burns and scars. As she began wrapping my scars and burns, I can't help but to stare at her with my mouth wide open. Is she … that sharp now? Back then, she would rely on her diary more. I guess she's really trying to keep up and follow my orders, huh?

"I … just got teary eyed. Nothing big. My left eye was just itchy." I said as I sat still as my personal nurse was bandaging me. After bandaging me, she then helps me get into my hospital dress. "Is there … something you can't tell me?" Yuno asked with a rather calm tone. I'm surprised. She's quite patient nowadays, huh? Back then, I wouldn't take her seriously as she tries to get some answer from me and would simply ignore her, but now, she's really taking her time and she's not forcing the answer out of me. "Hm? Is there something on my face? You've been staring at me for quite a while now, Toshii." She remarked as she gave me a smile. Seeing her like this was enough to break my cover. My hands were shaking once again and the tears slowly flowed out. Why … am I crying like this? Was stopping myself from shedding a tear years ago made me this pent up? Seeing my current state, Yuno simply wrapped her arms around me. "I'm here, Toshii. Let it out. It's alright to cry at times. You don't need to hold it in." Yuno whispered as she tried to comfort me. To her surprise, I began bawling my tears out. I held onto her hands firmly as my tears freely flowed down. "I-I'm afraid … I'm actually scared … Yuno … I don't know what to do …" I shakily muttered. "About the survival game? You don't have to be scared, Toshii. I'm here! And knowing you, you could pull off a sudden comeback whenever you feel like it. Don't you forget Toshii, you are my cunning tactician after all." She said as began humming a lullaby to ease my emotions. When she muttered those words, I can't help but to clench my teeth as the thought of her forgetting about me entered my mind. No matter what I do, I can't remove that fact out of my head. I can't simply ignore it. I can't just turn my back and accept that in the end of the day, this girl that I am holding onto, this girl that taught me how to cherish things, this girl who I began to love, will never be mine.

For the first time after 5 years, I cried my heart out. True, she made me soft, but … I don't think that was a bad thing. It was … a reminder that I was still human. That I wasn't just a killing machine made to follow orders or to simply kill people for enjoyment. To be honest, crying helped me to vent some stress out. I know Shaco was calling himself selfish for making me accept these things. He knew, our time was running out. He wanted to at least let me enjoy the remaining sands in my hourglass, and I will not take his words for granted. He told me to make my own route, a route where the path is not littered with the corpses of the fallen, and a route where I will kill if I only need to. It's going to be tough to control my urge, but … if that was his last wish, I might as well grant it. This is my only chance. I cannot fuck this up. His wish and my wish is on the line. Time to get serious, huh?

Amano.

Let me enjoy this one last ride. Let me … crash and burn in a blaze of glory.

I will make you all witness me.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 24**


	13. Old Memories

The following day is the day where I'll be cleared from my hospital stay. My short rehab was done, and my doctor gave me the go signal to go back home. With my slightly reddish eye, I sat still on top of my bed while I stared blankly onto the blue sky. While Yuno was busy readying our things, I was in a deep thought and was busy trying to figure out the identities of the remaining diary holders. Akise told me that the Sevenths is a couple, which are connected and most probably allied with Eighth, who's an owner of an orphanage. If I plan to find the Sevenths, I have to find out who's the Eighth first. Lastly, we have the Eleventh, who is apparently a big name in this city. A big name … perhaps he's a diet member or something? An owner of a well-known company? I might be overthinking but I have a gut feeling that Eleventh is someone from the local government. Now, I just have to fit the puzzle pieces together and make my own ending with this limited time of mine.

"You ready to go, Toshii?" Yuno sweetly asked me as she placed her duffle bag right beside me. She also brought me some change of clothes, so I already changed into something casual. "Yeah. Where's aniki by the way? He told me yesterday that he's going to pick us up." I replied as I slowly stood up. "Hm. Have you tried mailing him?" She asked as she fixes my collar. Oddly, her slender fingers caught my attention. These were the fingers that comforted me throughout the night. "Not yet. I'm pretty sure he'll be downstairs by now." I replied as I gently held onto her hand and placed it onto my right cheek. She gave me a sweet smile as she gently caressed my cheek. "Anyway, I think it's time to go, Toshii. We can't stay here all day. I'm going to cook something for you later once we get back!" She happily said as she takes a step back and then placed the strap of her duffle bag on her shoulder. I simply nodded and followed her out.

As we reached the lobby, I saw a rather familiar looking old man by the reception. Behind him was aniki who had a rather irritated expression on his face. He looks sour. Did they had an argument earlier or something? Bah. Should I bother myself and try to find out? As we slowly approached them, the old man noticed me. "A-Ah! Toshiro! Glad to see you're okay!" Father said as he tried to give me a smile. "Okay? Does this look okay to you," I remarked as I pointed onto my scar on the left portion of my face. For a second, he looked like he was regretting that he said those words. "Anyway, it's kinda too late for a visit, don't you think?" I commented as aniki approached us. "I … I just want to talk! That's all. It's been a while now that I haven't seen you after all." Father said as I noticed Yuno looking at him suspiciously. Hmph. Something's off in his movements. His fidgeting too much. "How about we talk somewhere while you treat us for lunch, Father?" Mist said as he placed his hand on Father's shoulder. Rather than making a scene here in the reception, we decided to go somewhere where we could talk without attraction too much attention.

After a short drive in aniki's car, we found ourselves in front of a family restaurant. We entered the establishment and got seated near the entrance. I noticed that aniki was quite … observant at the moment. His eyes were all over the place. "Go on! Order what you want! It's my treat after all." Father said as he lets out a tense chuckle. Tsh. I don't want to waste time on this. "Enough with the charades, old man. What do you want?" I asked him as I played with a nearby straw. "A-Ah … do you still have your phone, yes? The one that your big brother gave to you?" He asked. Those words caught the attention of Yuno and aniki. "Why would you ask about his phone, father? Isn't that ... a bit out of the blue?" Mist asked him as I noticed a rather sharp look in his eyes. "You see … I think it's time for Toshiro to get an upgrade. I haven't given him a gift after all. Waitress!" He said as he tried to call a waitress. "Well, that sounds rather surprising, old man." I remarked as I shifted my gaze away. "S-So, what do you want? Hm. Don't you think-"

"Of all the gifts, why a phone?"

Hearing my question, I quickly noticed the look of frustration in his eyes. "Come on. Your phone is full of scratches already. Heck, there's a small crack on the corner of your screen. It's time for you to get an upgrade." Father sternly said as he tries to keep his composure. There was a tense atmosphere in our table. Yuno and aniki were glaring at Father, who was trying to shrug off the tension in between us. Why is he so desperate? I can't shrug off this doubt that I'm starting to feel for him. He sounds so suspicious. It's our first time to see each after a while and now, he's clearly trying to get my phone? Well, isn't that too suspicious. As I was about to say a snarky remark, I suddenly remembered what Akise told me yesterday.

 _Eleventh will use your family to get to you. If he fails, he'll kill off your brother and father.  
_ _Are you prepared for that?_

After crying my eyes out last night, my mind was left in a mess. I couldn't think properly and some of my memories are starting to get hazy. Is it because of Amano's awakening, or is it just my emotions slowly getting into my thinking process? Anyway, without a doubt, Father is here right now since he was tasked by Eleventh to get my diary. If I could recall from what Akise told me about the events in the real world, Eleventh failed to get Amano's phone since the Sevenths came along. If my hunch feeling is true, we'll eventually encounter the Sevenths within this week. I'll think of a plan about them later. For now, I have to defuse this situation before Yuno decides to kill off this old man. If she goes bat shit crazy, heck, I'll have a hard time of control her. I let out a huge sigh and clapped my hand, which caught them by surprise. "Let's not set this entire family restaurant on fire with this tense atmosphere, shall we? Anyway, I know why you approached me today, Father, but could you at least be honest? I don't like dilly dallying in these meaningless banter." I stated as I leaned my back against on my seat's cushion. "What are yo-" "You're here since a certain someone told you to get my phone in exchange of your debt, yes?" I said with a smirk.

My words left him stunned. He can't believe it. His darkest secret that he tried to hide from me and my brother, the very secret that probably destroyed what he inherited from his father. "W-Where did you hear that?" Father asked with a slight shaken tone. "I saw a piece of contract of some sorts back in your home. A hefty 5 million yen debt, huh," I said with a slight sigh. "If I could recall correctly, a rather certain someone in the government lend you the money which you used to save your company and your status as a Yakuza leader. You managed to save both, but in the end, Uncle managed to throw you off from your company." I stated as I noticed the beads of sweat dripping down from Father's face. "Toshiro … how did you get those information?" Mist asked with a rather surprised look on his face. "Just an assumption based on the old man's actions within the past two years. Sorry, but I look in your documents from time to time." I replied as I crossed my arms.

"So? Care to tell us, father?" Mist said as a waitress approached our table. Brushing off this tense atmosphere, we somehow managed to order our meals normally. As the waitress went back to the counter, we resumed our so called 'peaceful' talk. I asked Yuno to keep an eye out for us while we talk to Father. "I … lost a huge amount of money two years ago. That was when … Toshiro was still working for his uncle. I was sabotaged from the inside of my very own company. My most trusted men were killed one by one. The company's projects were took away from us one by one. To save the company, I approached … the mayor. Your uncle told me that he could lend us some money … but who knew that those two were plotting against me. Up until now, I couldn't pay for the debt. I don't have that much money nowadays … and that's why I'm desperate. If … If I could repay this by doing his order, which is to get your phone and give it to him, I could try being your father once again." Father stated with a solemn look in his face. Hm. He was cornered in the past after all, and I was partly to blame for that. I was the one who killed his most trusted men, all thanks to the perfectly orchestrated play by my Uncle. If I didn't survive that last contract of mine, they could've killed aniki and Father, and Uncle would've been the new leader of the Yakuza.

For a brief moment, I stopped talking and began looking around. As I expected, I noticed some people were looking at us. Not with a curious look in their eyes, but in a way that their carefully watching us from afar. Tsh. Eleventh's men, huh? If I play this right, I could lure him out and kill him. The thing is, if my assumptions are true and he is indeed the mayor of this city, there's no way I can get close to him and kill him. Yeah, I could kill his men, but before I can reach him, I'll be dead and that's a no way for me to go. As much as I hate to do this, but I have to use this chance to lure him out. I … just have to come up with a plan to protect my family. After a deep breath, I gave Father a smile. "I finally decided, old man." I said with a grin. For a second, I saw a smile of relief on Father's face. "T-Toshii?!" Yuno remarked with a shocked tone as I slowly brought out my diary. "I-I'm happy to know that you're going to cooperate, Toshiro. Don't worry. I'll buy yo-"

 _But I refuse._

My words suddenly left Father stunned. Heck, even aniki was looking at me with a confused look in his eyes. "You know, I really do love saying 'No.' to people who think they are some hot shit. If he's that capable, why not come here himself and finish me off, hm," I stated with a menacing smirk on my face. "If he wants me, then he should be a man and do the job on his own. Perhaps, he's too old and weak. Heh." I remarked as I gave our lookers a sharp glare, which alerted them. "Geez. You never change. Quoting a line from a manga at a time like this? You sure do have the balls, Toshiro." Mist said with a sigh as he shakes his head. "W-Wait. Is that a line from Kishibe, Rohan?" Yuno asked with a curious tone in her voice. "Heh. Jackpot, love. Anyway, Father. This is my preposition. I'll do one final contract for you. One, last, contract." I said as I avert my gaze onto my Father who had a mixed expression on his face. I bet he's feeling confused and frustrated right now. I should … stop bullying him. "W-What is it now?" Father asked as he tries to shrug off his confusion. "Like I said, a contract. I'll kill anyone you plan to. Heck, it's free of charge," I said as I took out a piece of tissue and placed it in front of him. "Just write his name in that piece of tissue paper, and I'll do the rest." I said with a smirk. Father, whose hands were shaking, swallowed his spit and brought out a pen. He knows fully what I'm capable of. It might be pathetic of him to ask help from his son like this, does he have a choice?

 _Why bother comply with his demands when you can easily live freely once I take him out? Heck, I'll even play along when you try being our Father again.  
_

* * *

I never thought that my own room would look so foreign to me. Maybe, I'm still getting used to this impaired eyesight of mine. My sweat slowly trickled down from my face as I watched this female figure on top of me moving her hips in a rhythmical manner. How did we end up doing this again? I swear, we were cuddling earlier but … we somehow ended up having sex on the very day that I got discharged from the hospital. It feels … different. Back then, seeing Yuno taking the lead like this would turn me on so much, but right now … why is my mind so clouded? I can't focus in this moment.

"T-Toshii! T-Toshii! It's hitting the entrance of my womb …!" Yuno cried out as I felt the tip of my erected member hitting something inside her tight crevice. She firmly held onto my hands as she tries to keep up the pace. "Y-Yuno." I muttered as her breasts continued to sway upwards. Her sweat, saliva, and sweet nectar were all over my body. Her inner thighs were beginning to stick onto my skin. We've been doing this for like … an hour or two already. "D-Does it feel good? T-Toshii …?" Yuno seductively muttered as she leans and places her hands on my cheeks. I saw the reflection of my weary blue eye on her hazy pink eyes. I really look … like I'm spacing out. "Yeah. Are you almost there?" I asked her as I began kissing her neck. She let out a soft moan as I began to move my hips upwards. "D-Don't move. I don't want to risk your wounds reopening …" She whispered as she pushed my shoulders down. Knowing that my private nurse would give me some stern sermons if I disobey her, I simply placed my hands on her waist and let her do most of the moving.

Yuno's loud moans echoed throughout the dark room. As she began to pick up the pace once again, I noticed her crevice slowly tightening. She must be climaxing soon, huh? To help her out, I began sucking onto one of her pink nipples and my left hand slowly made its way to her butt. "T-Toshii …! C-Cum with me!" Yuno muttered as her voice was filled with ecstasy. I simply nodded as I groped her ass firmly and sucked onto her nipple harder. The moment I began nibbling on her nipple, her body suddenly began to quiver in pleasure. As her love nectar slowly seeps out, Yuno firmly held onto me. "Toshii …" She muttered as she pressed her lips against mine, to which I obliged. A minute passed and we moved our lips away from each other. "Hm? I don't feel anything warm inside, Toshii." Yuno commented as she begins to wipe away her sweat. "A-Ah? Really?" I asked as she slowly takes out my still erected member out. "You didn't cum, Toshii?" She muttered with a slight disappointed tone. "Y-Yeah. I guess so." I replied as I let out fake chuckle. I can't tell her that I can't really cum right now since my mind is too occupied on something, and something is bothering me.

"Heh. Don't worry! Shall I use my mouth?" Yuno playfully asked with a meek smile on her face. She's trying too hard. I'm pretty sure she's tired by now, and we have so much to do tomorrow. Thank god that aniki wasn't here or that would be too embarrassing. Yuno moans too much and she moans like we're the only people living in this condominium. "I'm alright, love. Can't we just sleep for now? I'm still feeling a bit sluggish." I replied as I petted her head. "Are you sure? Doesn't it hurts when you leave it like that?" She asked once again as she slowly position herself beside me. "Nah. Don't worry. You did well." I replied as I lie my head flat on top of my pillow. As I stared at the dark blue ceiling, I slowly come to realize why I wasn't in the mood earlier. Whenever I touch … or to be precise, whenever I'm intimate with Yuno, there's a sharp pain in my heart. It's like whenever we make contact in that manner, it feels like something is ripping my heart from the inside. When I was clenching my teeth earlier, it wasn't because I was trying to stop myself from climaxing, but it was shrug off the pain that I was feeling from the inside. Perhaps, this is the effect of Amano's memories slowly awakening. Is that also the reason why every night, I see bits and bits of his memories within my dreams? Is his entity slowly swallowing me whole? Am I going to vanish just like that for his cause?

 _Toshii? Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?_

The moment that Yuno's fingertips made contact on my naked body, a sudden jolt of pain pulsated from my heart. I quickly sat up, to her utter surprise. "T-Toshii?" Yuno worryingly called out my name with a surprised look in her eyes. "I'm … I'm alright. It's just that … the pain in my left eye is acting up." I replied as I tried to act that my eye was the origin of my pain. "Do you need some pain relievers? I'll go get some. Stay put." She hurriedly said as she quickly sat up and went out of the room, buck naked. "O-oy! Put on some clothes!" I shouted. After a few seconds, she comes back in with a tablet of pain reliever and a glass of water. After swallowing the tablet, the pain slowly subsided, but it was still there. "Did it work?" Yuno worryingly asked once again. "Y-Yeah. I'll be fine. Let's just get some rest, love." I said as I gave her a forced smile.

This is probably the first time that I'm sleeping beside Yuno with my back facing her. I simply told her that I want to be spooned too, but … the real reason is I'm trying to avoid contact with her intimately. It just hurts so much. If this keeps continually, I'll probably lose my mind. I could feel her soft breathing hitting my spine. I kept my eye shut, trying to get some rest but I simply can't. Is it because I'm actually troubled by this said emotions? Is it be-

 _You're going to vanish.  
_ _Vanish like thin air._

A sudden voice within my mind startled me. S-Shaco? Is he … No. The voice was different this time around. It sounds … more savage compared to him. It was more wrathful than his. I could feel a cold sweat trickling down from my forehead. My breathing slowly began to become erratic. "T-Toshii?" Yuno called out my name with a rather sleepy tone. W-Who is … this voice? Shaco's gone. Did someone … did an entit-

 _Who are you kidding? Stop acting so surprised.  
_ _I am you, Reaper. I am merely your persona who's more inclined to your wish._

Wish? What are you talking about? G-Get the fuck out of my head. Let me fucking get some sleep.

 _Back then, you really want to die in a rather, memorable manner right? Now, you're desperate to cling on to your very life because of that girl.  
Quite pathetic, but really understandable since she's the one who taught us how to love and to cherish things.  
_ _Suicide was an option, but killing yourself can be quite a drag too, heh._

Where are you getting at? Who are you?!

 _Just be honest, will ya? Your wish … you didn't tell Deus your true wish. Come on. Don't be shy.  
_ _We both know you want to erase Amano.  
You want to desperately to cling on to this very existence you're living._

Shut … up. Get out of my head!

 _Be honest, Reaper.  
_ _Be honest with your true feelings._

"Get out of my heaaaaaad!" I shouted as my body sat up. I could feel my heart pulsating in a fast rhythm. My breathing became quick and shallow. My eye was left wide open as I saw my shaking hands in my blurry vision. "W-What's wrong, Toshii?! Are you okay?!" Yuno worryingly asked me. Sensing that I wouldn't answer properly, she was about to check her diary but I stopped her hand. "A … nightmare. It was just a nightmare …" I replied as my trembling hand held onto her wrist. To my surprise, she suddenly pulled me towards her. As my heart began to ache, she held my head tenderly in between her breasts. "It's going to be all okay, Toshii. Yuno's here. I'll protect you." She whispered into my ear. Pain clouded my mind as my heart began to throb painfully. Desperate for her warmth, I decided to endure the pain all night. I know this kind of pain will probably break me soon, but for now, please allow me to hold her like this, Amano.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 23**

* * *

The image of the dead expression on my face which was being reflected in front of me caught my attention. Did I really walk around earlier with this dreadful look on my face? Ugh. Pathetic. I gave myself a good slap on my face to shake off this tense feeling inside of me. I have to focus. I'll put those thoughts aside. After my usual expression appeared in my face, I opened the office door of aniki. As usual, it was pretty dusty inside. As I turned right, I saw aniki sitting in front of his desk while watching the news. "Hey." I said as I called out his attention. "Ah. You're here. I see that you're wearing that black eye patch that I left with Yuno-chan yesterday." Mist said as he crossed his legs and smiled at me. I welcomed myself in and sat down on a sofa in front of his desk. Before he went back to his work last night, I asked him to get some information about the mayor. We're going to need every single information that we could get to take him down.

 _Just now was the mayor's speech during last night's proclamation. Though heavy-hearted, he's still pursing to shut down the Sakurami Orphanage to make more opportunities for the people of Sakurami._

The words of the news reporter caught my attention. As I shifted my attention towards the television, aniki stood up and took out a bunch of folders from a nearby file cabinet. "Here. This is all the information that I could get. If I try to go deeper, the mayor's men would probably notice it and will track me down." Mist said as he placed the folders beside me. "True. I … can't put you in harm's way since you're family, so that's enough." I said as I took the folders and began scanning it while listening attentively to the news reporter. There's some record about his transactions here, and his connection to Father. More importantly, Uncle is directly connected to him since he worked for him for quite some time before he went back to Father. So far, his track record is purely political. I still don't see anything that I could use against him. Tsh. Now that I think about it, once I've killed the mayor, I'll be labelled as a terrorist, right? This is going to be a big-ass hassle in the end.

 _The owner of the orphanage, Ueshita, Kamado, is planning to convince the mayor within a few days. Her orphanage currently has …_

The name of the orphanage's owner caught my attention. If we assume Eleventh is the mayor, why would he pressure an orphanage to this extent? Is this evidence enough to assume that the Eighth is this woman, knowing that our only clue about Eighth is that statement from Akise? I don't have much time left, so to hell with it. "Aniki, you free? Can I ask for another favour?" I asked him as he lights up a cigarette. "Well, I'm free for the day. What's up?" He asked as he puffs out a greyish smoke. "Could you get some information about that woman? The owner of the orphanage," I said as I stood up and placed the folder inside my leather bag. "If possible, can I have it b-" "I'll have it by this afternoon. You want me to get the names of her orphans too? You know. So you can cross reference those names or something." He said as he takes out a folder from a nearby drawer. Seriously. He knows how I think.

"Thanks, aniki." I said with a faint smile on my face. "Pft. I'm actually helping my younger brother to become a terrorist. I am such a role model." Mist said as he lets out a rather weary sigh. "It won't be long till the end … so it wouldn't matter …" I muttered. Wait. What? Did I say that out loud? "Huh? Did you say something?" Aniki asked with a confused look on his face. "N-Nothing. I better go. Oh right. Want to eat in the unit? Yuno's going to cook her signature burgers." I replied as I dodged his question. "Sound's tempting, but I'll pass. Anyway, speaking of Yuno-chan, here." He said as he handed me the folder that he was holding. "What's this?" I asked him as I took the folder from his hand. "I did a background check on Yuno. I … had doubts at first, that she was secretly faking that personality of hers. I mean, seriously. Who the hell would be that clingy?" He said as I placed my bag down and took out the papers from the folder. "That's the both of us. I'm secretly clingy." I said with a chuckle. "Bah. Anyway. There's something you should check." He said as a picture of a young Yuno caught my attention. Is this a picture of her when she was … 5 years old? She looks so happy. Simply adorable. She's … wait a second. Wait a fucking second.

"See that kid beside her? Doesn't he look familiar?" Mist said as he takes a peek from behind me. Suddenly, a surge of memories filled my mind. It was like I unlocked some memories that were buried deep under my struggles and pain. How … how could I forget those days? "T-That's … me …" I muttered. "You didn't know? I was expecting that you'd remember or something." Mist said as he lets out a faint chuckle. I can feel my hands shaking as those memories of the past began to play inside my head.

* * *

 _Stay away from him. You'll catch his 'sickness!'  
_ _Why does he look so gloomy all the time?  
_ _He doesn't even talk! Is he a mute or something?  
_ _You're no fun!_

No one knows my pain.

These kids doesn't know what I just went through. None of them knows the smell of my mother's burning corpse. None of them knows that the smell of gasoline and burning flesh doesn't mix well. No one … will understand me. I'm … too tired.

 _Come on, Toshiro. Please talk to me.  
_ _I can't help you if you don't talk to me.  
_ _You can depend on me, don't worry!_

The sister tried her best to get me out of my slump, my depression, but it always failed. It always backfired. The more she tried to help me, the more the other kids bullied me. In due time, I … just gave up. I began to become contended with the state I was. The harrowing pain that I felt every time I relieve those memories, no one can understand them. No one.

 _Why are you alone? Don't you feel lonely?_

How long has it been ever since this orphanage took me in? Has it been a year already? For me, today was just another day, another day that the other kids would cast me away and probably bully me. The sister tried her best to lecture the other kids and help them understand, but I can't blame them. I'm a walking depressant in this orphanage. During lunch, an elderly woman and a pink haired kid arrived in the orphanage. It's been a while since we got another orphan. As the kid sat on the benches at the reception area, I was drawing on my sketch pad when I managed to eavesdrop on the elderly woman and the sister's conversation. The girl lost her family recently, and her relatives can't take her in. That elderly woman is probably her relative or something, but that's a bit harsh. Why can't they take the girl in? Pft. Whatever. That's not my business.

"What are you drawing?" An unfamiliar voice from behind me asked. I slowly turned around. It was the pink haired girl that was sitting on the bench earlier. I simply looked at her and went back drawing. "Ah! Is that the garden outside?" She asked as she quickly recognized the image that I was sketching with my crayons. I simply nodded and continued. "Can I have a piece of paper? I want to draw too!" She happily asked with a smile. I gave her a quick look and tore one paper from my sketch pad. I handed it to her and lend her some of my crayons. "Why are you alone? Don't you feel lonely?" She asked as she sat down beside me and began drawing on the piece of paper that I gave her. "The other kids don't want to play with me. They say I'm too gloomy that it's affecting them." I replied. It's been a while since I had a conversation with someone, well someone with my age. I might as well talk to her for a while.

"Gloomy? I don't sense any gloominess from you!" She happily remarked. "You don't get it. I just … don't belong with them." I said. "How come? I bet the other kids are just jealous of you! I mean look at your drawing skills! You can be an artist someday with that skill!" She commented with a big smile on her face. For a second, her smile was gleaming in my eyes. Seeing her smile like that made me feel warm for a second. As the feeling subsided, the sister went out of the hall with the elderly woman. She was quite surprised to see me interacting with the new girl. "Ah. You made a friend, Yuno-chan?" The elderly woman asked the girl. "Yuno … chan?" I muttered as the girl stood up and approached her relative. "That's my name! I'm Yuno! And he's … wait. I never got your name." Yuno said as her relative gave her some head pats. "T-Toshiro. I'm Toshiro …" I shyly said as I noticed the big smile on the sister's face. "Anyway, Yuno-chan will be our new family member here in the orphanage, Toshi-chan! Keep getting along with her, alright?" The sister said as she gave me a pat on my head.

At that point, who knew that this pink-haired kid was capable of breaking the walls that I made in my heart.

Months then flew by ever since I met that pink-haired girl. Things went differently ever since she arrived in the orphanage. She became someone who would needlessly pester me while I tried to be alone, and at the same time, she could make me smile in her own ways. When the other kids tried to bully me, she stood her ground and defended me. For some time, the both of us were treated like weirdos, but soon, the other kids joined in as they noticed the amount of fun that we had every day. Soon, the harsh words that I used to hear before were gone, and was replaced with compliments about my skills in drawing. The sister was really surprised how I changed from a quiet kid who was always alone, to an outgoing, thrill-seeking kiddo. For the other kids, Yuno was a friend, a family member in this orphanage and a fellow orphan, but to me, she was a beacon of light. She became someone important to me. If she didn't approach me before, I would be still alone and treated as an outcast by the other kids.

During the 16th of October, a rather skinny man arrived in the orphanage. At that time, I was playing with Yuno by the garden when he made his appearance. The moment he set foot on the grounds of the orphanage, I noticed that his eyes were locked onto me. It was like he finally found someone that he was searching for. He went straight inside and talked to the sister. While he was talking to our guardian, Yuno suddenly grabbed me by the wrist and tugged towards the nearby cherry tree. "Hm? What's wrong?" I asked her as I noticed the rather nervous look on her face. "That guy earlier. He was looking at you." Yuno said we sat down underneath the cherry tree. "What's up with that? Well, I did notice his eyes." I said as we looked at the orphanage from afar.

For a second, Yuno was silent. It was like she was stopping herself from saying something, but in the end, she mustered enough courage to say it. "I … I'd be lonely if you're gone." Yuno shyly muttered as her voice was muffled by the autumn wind. Her voice was a bit shaky. "You have the other kids to play with, Yuno-chan. Don't worry." I said. Somewhere deep down inside of me, I know that soon, we'll separate. We can't be together forever. I brushed off my inner sadness and gave her a smile. If our gut feeling are indeed true, that man is probably going to adopt me. To be honest, his face was familiar. It's like I've seen him before, but probably when I'm younger. "I … If he does adopts me, I … I want to say something," I muttered. "Hm? What is it?" She curiously asked. "Thank you … for saving me, Yuno-chan." I said as with a faint smile. "Save you? From what?" She asked with a confused look on her face. Her pink eyes were fixated at me. "You saved me from my depression. You helped me get out of the walls that I erected around my heart. Without you … I probably did something drastic before." I muttered as I tried to keep my smile from fading from my face. She simply nodded and rested her head against my shoulder.

It turns out that the man earlier was my Uncle, the brother of my biological father. To be honest, I was quite surprised, but I was actually relieved to know that I still have some relatives out there. "I'm Hiriyama, Ryousuke. Pleased to meet you, Toshiro-chan. I'm here to adopt you. Your auntie Misaki is so excited to meet you!" Uncle said as he gave me a smile. After packing my things, the other kids bid me goodbye and wished me luck in my new life. The sister gave me a big hug and asked me to keep sending her letters. Lastly, it was Yuno. She was standing behind the sister and was trying to stop her tears from flowing from her eyes. Before leaving, I ran towards her and grabbed her hands. "I'll find you in the future and I'll marry you! I'll make you happy!" I shouted as my tears suddenly flowed down from my eyes. "Y-Yeah! I'll wait for you, Toshii!" She said as her tears flowed down.

And those were the days in the orphanage that I soon forgot. The memories that I cherish the most, were buried deep down by the pain, the guilt, and the suffering that I went through.

* * *

Back to present time, in the eyes of a surprised older brother …

I handed Toshiro the folder about Yuno-chan. He took it from my hands and began checking the contents. As he noticed the picture of his younger self and Yuno-chan, I saw his blue eye lit up. It's like he suddenly remember something. I pointed at his younger self and asked if he recognizes himself. For a brief second, he fell silent. Perhaps he was genuinely surprised about the picture, or he forgot those memories due to the dark times that he went through. To my utter surprise, tears suddenly flowed down from his eyes. Even his disabled eye was tearing up. "T-Toshiro? Are you okay?" I asked him as I gave him a gentle pat on the back. "Y-You're making this harder for me … aniki …" He muttered as he covered his eyes with his arm with his teeth clenched as if he's trying to stop himself from sobbing. Somehow, I felt relieved. I knew that he was going through a very dark time of his life. I knew that he's a part of a survival game where I have no power to get him out of it, and I can only help him from afar, but seeing him like this, that he's still capable of crying, made me realize that he's still intact with his humanity. That he's still my younger brother that was lost and molded into a weapon. I know helping him to compete in this game wouldn't redeem himself, but I want him to win it.

After all the hell that he went through, I think he deserves to be a god. Heh. Maybe I'm just biased since I'm his older brother after all.


	14. Sidenotes

Hey there! UnseenMemory here and I'm back with another author's sidenotes!

Anyway, how are you guys doing? Hope you guys are doing well. For me, well, I'm currently unemployed lol. I finally graduated from college a week ago, and I'm currently looking for a full-time job related to architecture. I might take an offer of being a CAD operator soon, but now I have more time to work on this fanfic! Actually, no since my new PS4 is taking most of my time during the day lol.

Anyway, how is Rewrite faring for you? Is it too dark? Too depressing? I know lately, Toshiro is losing his edge. His badass personality is slowly diminishing. Well, as you can see, I'm trying to properly develop him from a villain-personality into an anti-hero one. Heeding Shaco's words, he'll try to do new things and be more civil in his actions. The question is, will the game play out just how he planned it to be? Also, as you can see, I'm focusing more on the character development and relationship of Toshiro and Yuno. I know Toshiro's identity is pretty much detailed, but how about Yuno? Other than her yandere personality and tendencies, who is Gasai, Yuno? What is her goals and dreams given the chance that she can have a normal life?

That's it for now. Just a small update on the progress of Rewrite. I swear, I just finished its storyboard, and it's freaking depressing. It might take a while to write down the chapters since I want to properly convey the feelings that Toshiro is experiencing, but I'll be sure to keep updating it! Also, for the ending. Well, as you may know, the original Existence had a good ending. This around, **THERE IS NO GOOD ENDING.** There, I said it. Please don't get your hopes up. The ending that I came up with is the **literally** the best ending for Toshiro and his character, well in a narrative-perspective. Rewrite will not be connected to After Story. If you have any reactions or opinions, or maybe questions, please do leave a message!

Thank you once again for reading my fanfic! I hope I'll see you again in the next sidenotes! Take care!

P.S. I could give a subtle hint on how the ending plays out, or how I'm planning to write it. I could just say that at the last portion on that chapter, I'm highly encouraging you to listen to "If I Can't Be Yours" by Thanatos (purely coincidence since I just finished watching NGE last month lol) ALSO, I highly recommend you guys to watch Re:Zero. Probably one of the best anime in this season!


	15. Unexpected Alliance

The day soon passed. I can't but to keep an eye out as we walked around the first floor of the Sakurami Mall. Why are we in a mall, you ask? No, we're not fooling around and window shopping with my remaining time. A few hours later, a static caught my attention. To be honest, I was already expecting this. I already planned something beforehand if ever this scenario would happen.

 **June 4 – 20:30pm [Rooftop, Sakurami Mall]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-He was cornered by the Sevenths. His previous wounds held him back and he was killed.  
 **DEAD END**

 **June 4 – 20:35pm [Rooftop, Sakurami Mall]  
** Gasai, Yuno  
-She returns to the First just to see him dead. She was struck down by the Sevenths. Died due to heavy blood loss.  
 **DEAD END**

That proves my assumption. The Sevenths will strike now and it's time for the final act. "Toshii. They're following us." Yuno said with a fake smile on her face. Ever since we went inside of the mall, I felt someone watching us from afar. From time to time, I caught a glimpse of a long-haired man and a purple-haired woman behind us. Also, they were talking to a guy that had goggles, so I assume that's their accomplice. Of course, they will not attack us in the open. If they do, Eleventh's agents would get a chance to kill them without looking like murderers. "Act normal, even though we don't look normal. Don't you think our eye patches are making us stand out?" Minene asked as she kept her gaze in front of us. "Heh. The people will see us cosplayers, or two weirdoes accompanied by a pink-haired girl, Nee-sama." I replied with a grin. I might not look like it, but I'm actually armed for this moment. As usual, my blades were hidden, and I still have my ace in my sleeves. Heh. I'm ready for them. I'm actually itching for a fight so that I could test how much my body adapted into this new state of mine.

After a while, we ended up by the mall's outside garden. It was a hotspot for lovers, so we're still not alone, but this the place where we'll tip the scales. I sat down on a nearby bench and took out my phone. As I dialled aniki, Yuno and Minene kept an eye around. "Hey. Is it time?" Mist asked me as he answered my call. "Yeah. Do it. Oh wait. Aniki, I forgot to tell you something." I muttered as I crossed my legs. "Hm? What is it?" He asked as I heard the sound of his fingers jotting down onto his laptop's keyboard. "Stay … safe. Stop trying to get information about the mayor. Get Father and get out of town. Things are goi-" "Going to be risky? I know about that. Don't worry about us, Toshiro. Focus in the game, alright?" He replied with a chuckle. With that, he ends the call. "Let's do this." I muttered as I placed my diary back in my pocket.

Suddenly, the fire alarm was heard all around the mall. People began to take notice and vacate the premises. As the people began to walk towards the exit in a nervous manner, I noticed the three figures who were approaching us. As expected, it was none other but our attackers. "Lovely night, don't you think?" I asked the long haired man as his partner takes out her throwing knives. "My, my. Look who we have here, Ai. It's the famous rea-" Before he could even finish his remark, their accomplice sprang the tripwire trap that we placed in between us. It's not really a trap, but more of a distraction. Water suddenly sprayed out from the side of a nearby plant box, which caught the three surprised. With one quick second, I sprang up and tackled the long haired man. "Mar!" The purple-haired woman shouted as I pushed the long-haired man's face onto the concrete pavement. Before they could even react, the other two was swiftly disabled. The woman was tazed down by Yuno and was left unconscious, while Minene knocks out their accomplice with a sleeper hold. "Y-You …!" The long haired man grunted as he tries to push me away. "Now, now. Let's be civil, shall we?" I muttered with a sinister smile on face as I brought out my right hidden blade.

"Toshii! In front of us!" Yuno shouted as I heard the sound of approaching footsteps coming right at us. I quickly divert my attention in front of us. Four men were running towards us with guns at the ready. Pistols, but at this range, it's effective. I have to move fast. I quickly stood up and brandished my blades out. I quickly picked up a nearby piece of the concrete pavement and dashed towards them. I could hear Yuno's surprised voice as the men came to a halt. "Take him down!" Their leader shouted as they aim their pistols at me. Before they could even pull the trigger, I threw the concrete tile towards them. The tile landed squarely at one of my assassins' face. Blood spewed out as I heard the sound of his nose shattering while his body falls down. With their eyes at their downed comrade, I quickly seized the opportunity. With one swift motion, I disarmed one of my attacker as I cleanly sliced his wrist. As he shouted in pain, my blade pierced his throat. Blood spewed out from his mouth as I quickly seized his pistol. A semi-automatic? This will do.

 **BANG! BANG!**

Bullets were shot, but the sound of gunfire were muffled by the noises of the cars around the mall. Good thing there's a traffic jam nearby and everyone's honking their horns. Sweat slowly trickled down from my face as the last two assassins fell down on the floor, their bodies lifeless. One had a hole in his forehead while the other one had his right eye splattered out. Somehow, I managed to stop one of them firing, thus the other one was killed by his own comrade. Heh. Shaco did somehow remove my limiters after all, huh? "A-Are you alright, Toshii?! Are you hurt anywhere?" Yuno nervously asked as she ran towards me. I could still feel a light tingle in my fingers as I placed back the semi-automatic in the hand of my assassin. "Y-Yeah. I … feel alive, which is good. Kill the other guy for me, alright?" I replied as I swung my blades, removing the blood from the steel. Yuno happily nodded and gave me a smile. She takes out her knife and finishes the remaining assassin off.

The long haired man, who I tackled earlier, was still on the floor. This time around, his fingers formed a fist, a fist that was shaking as he saw me effortlessly kill four men in a moment's notice. "Let's talk, shall we? Geez. Shaco's going to be mad. I did tell him that I'll try to act civil, but I was simply trying to keep myself alive." I muttered as I stopped a few metres away from him. "A-Are you even human?" The long haired man muttered as I ordered Minene to stay alert. "Beats me. Maybe not, but does that even matter? Anyway, I have a proposal, Seventh." I said as I squatted down to his eye level. "W-What? Seventh …? What the hell ar-" "Drop the act or I'll slice that pretty neck of your partner. Tch. Damn it. Act civil, Toshiro. Civil," I muttered. Hearing my words, the long-haired man began to look at me with a confused expression on his face. I cleared my throat and looked at him once again. "I know that both of you are the Sevenths and you take orders from someone. I … don't plan on killing the two of you, nor your accomplice." I stated as I kept my gaze locked on him. "T-Then what are you planning?" He asked once more.

"My plans? Heh. A ceasefire between us." I replied as I sat down on the nearby plant box. "Don't take long too much, alright? Your brother probably messed around with the alarms and the CCTV system, but that won't take long. Once Eleventh's men notice it, we have to bail out." Minene remarked. "Yeah, yeah. Well, you heard me, right, Seventh?" I asked Seventh, who had a distraught look on his face. "C-Ceasefire? Is that what you're proposing?" Seventh asked as he brushes off that confused look. "To be precise, I'm offering you an alliance. Think about it. The First, Second, Sevenths, Eighth and Ninth all gang up to kill Eleventh. Don't you think that would be fine?" I replied as I carefully observed his movements. If he's going to attack, I'll render him unconscious easily. The thing is, I need him awake or he won't bring us to Eighth. "Tch. You aren't fooling no one. It's kinda late to propose an alliance, don't you think?" He muttered as he glared at me. "Hm. Not really. At this point, Eleventh is the biggest opponent in the game. How about this, bring me to Eighth and I'll spill all the information I got about Eleventh." I stated as I crossed my arms and leaned my back against the bench.

"W-Wait. How did yo-" "Just an assumption. I had a hunch feeling that you're working with Eighth at the moment," I said as I cut his question off. With that expression on his face, I can clearly see that he's cornered. I bet he's thinking that if he declines, we could easily kill them off here. If he does bring us to Eighth, he'll put Eighth in a dangerous situation. Tch. I really suck at negotiations. "I guarantee that we will not attack Eighth or any of your allies, as long you cooperate. If I do show a slight hint of threat, here, catch." I said as I took out my phone and threw it towards them. Yuno saw my action from a distance and was alarmed. "Toshii! What are you doing?!" Yuno shouted as she ran towards us with her knife at the ready. I gave her a sharp glare, which stopped her in her track. Seventh effortlessly caught my diary in his hands. "The Death Diary …" He muttered as he stared at my diary for a second. "I'll give you the authority to snap that diary of mine in half if I were to attack you guys. Heck, you can even use it. Just make sure you comply with my proposal." I said as I adjust my black eye patch and rest my right cheek onto my right hand. After a while, Seventh finally made his decision. He takes a deep breath and gave me a determined look.

 _Alright. We'll cooperate._

* * *

It was almost midnight when we arrived at Mother's Village, the controversial orphanage. The gate behind us was shut by their accomplice while the Sevenths were leading us towards the main house. The purple-haired woman peeked at us from time to time, but I can't blame her. I forced them to bring us to their hideout after all. "Toshii. I don't approve this. I thought we're going to kill them earlier!" Yuno annoyingly said with an agitated look in her pink eyes. "If we kill them, we'll lose an asset against Eleventh. If he's the mayor, we need every ally we could get, or if not, it's just going to be a one-sided bloodbath." I replied as Minene, who was walking beside me, kept an eye around. "Even so! We could easily kill Eleventh! We just have t-"

"You don't understand love. I don't know how it happened in your previous world, but this time around, it's different. From the looks of things, Arashi wasn't involved in the fights. Since he is involved in this world, we have to take precautions. I'm not going to let Eleventh do what he wants," I sternly stated as I felt the tense atmosphere between me and Yuno. I'm … being too harsh with her. I'm just too focused right now at the game. "Sorry, but I'm just … doing what I know that is advantageous to us. I'm only doing this so that I could grant your wish without thinking about the other possible ways we could go out. So please, trust me on this one, Yuno." I muttered as I held onto her hand, which made Yuno speechless for a second. "Sorry too, Toshii. I'm just worried about you. We could do things the easy way, but you chose to go with this kind of scenario. Just … don't push yourself too much, alright? I'll always believe in you." She stated as she went closer to give me a kiss on the cheek. Seeing us being lovey-dovey, Minene can't help but to let out a sigh. Hearing Yuno's words was enough to make me feel bad. In truth … I'm doing this for myself, for my wish. As my heart began to ache, I let go of Yuno's hand.

I'm really a selfish guy, huh?

Soon, we were in front of a rather, short and chubby woman. She was surrounded with her orphans as we entered the reception area of the main house. "Oh? You didn't tell me we'll be having guests tonight, Marco!" She said with a smile as the orphans began to look at us with curiosity. "Well, you see … things happened." Marco said as I noticed the sweat trickling down in his face. "Kamado-san … things … got out of hand and …" Ai muttered as she tries to back up Marco. Geez. Enough with the charades. I lift up my sleeves and unbuckled my two vambraces. I dropped them on the floor took off my jacket. "Those two are my only weapons. Yuno, Nee-sama. Drop your weapons." I said. "If we don't come out from this alive, I'll make sure I'll kill you in the afterlife." Minene annoyingly said as she takes out her pistol and drops it alongside Yuno's knife. "Anyway, where are my manners? Good evening, Kamado, Ueshita-san, or should I say, Eighth. Sorry for intruding this late." I said as I bowed in front of the short woman. "Ah. You must be First, right? Pleased to meet you! I take that you're here to talk?" She asked with a motherly tone. "If you allow us, yes. I don't wish to bring harm to you or to your orphans." I replied. Hearing my reply, she instructed her orphans to leave us. Along with the Sevenths, she brought us to the guest room, where she instructed us to feel at home.

"I didn't think that the First would have good manners." Ueshita commented with a chuckle as she sat down in front of us. Marco and Ai were watching us from the sides while my two companions were sitting next to me. "Marco. Could you check my diary for any entries about this?" I asked Marco who was busy fixing his pompadour. Hearing my words, he takes out the Death Diary and checked its recent entries. "All clear." Marco stated as he places my diary down onto the tatami flooring. "Anyway, onto the business. Kamado-san. I'm pretty sure Marco mentioned this when he called you earlier, but I'm here to propose an alliance between us." I said as Ueshita kept her gaze on me. "An alliance? May I know the reason behind this?" Ueshita asked. I gave Minene a look and she then brings out a brown envelope from my leather bag. "Eleventh has been pestering you for a while now, am I right? I did notice the news in the past week or two. The mayor is planning to shut this orphanage down, and I find his reason quite … absurd," I replied as I slide down the envelope towards her. "The alliance that I'm proposing has one clear goal; to kill the Eleventh. Afterwards, I can guarantee a ceasefire or peace between our parties." I stated as Ueshita began to scan the information that Mist managed to dig out.

"How can we be so sure that you won't use us? I heard stories about you, reaper. You tend to use the people around you to achieve your goals." Marco sternly asked as he glared at us. "That was in my early years. Believe it or not, I'm trying to approach this game in a different manner. You saw first-hand what I'm capable of. Don't you think I could've killed everyone here that moment you let us set foot inside the orphanage's premises?" I replied with a grin on my face. "Y-You!" Marco grunted as he closed his fist and was about to charge in, but Ai stops him. "Mar. Stop. He has a point. At this point, why not try to listen to him? I rather not have him as enemy. We also saw him rampaging during Omekata incident remember?" Ai said as she tries calm her partner down. "Listen to her, will ya? Think about it. Having the Thanatos at your disposal, as an ally, in this game? I can almost guarantee that I can stop Eleventh from cornering you guys and killing you off. The only thing missing your cooperation. Besides, didn't I tell you? You have the authority to break my diary if I were to attack." I said with a snicker. "Tsh. Whatever." Marco said as he shrugs off my words.

"Well, your proposal is quite tempting, but can I ask you something before I agree to this, First?" Ueshita asked as she neatly places the information beside. "Go ahead, ma'am." I said as I bring back my full attention to her. "Do you have any plans to become a god?" She asked with smile on her face. "Heh. The only one capable of becoming a god and doing a good job while at it, is this eye-patched woman beside me." I replied with a smile of my own. "W-What? What did you just say?" Minene asked with a surprised tone in her voice. I can feel Yuno's glare piercing through as my words caught her by surprise too. "You heard me. I don't give a shit about godhood. At first, I'm only interested in this game due to the fact that I actually can fight someone who can kill me, then it turns out that I outgrew my thirst for a thrill. My only certain goal in this game is to fulfil this girl's wish." I stated as I point towards to Yuno. "I don't have any reason to become a god, so I'll pass on godhood too." Yuno remarked with a smile. Well technically, you're already a goddess after all.

"I see. I … don't have a reason to become a god too, so I don't plan on winning this game. How about you two, Marco and Ai?" Ueshita asked. "W-Well … I just want to be with Mar, so if he wishes to become a god, then I'll support him." Ai meekly replied. "W-What? Well, becoming a god sounds nice, but I just want to show off to Ai so that she'll love me more." Marco replied with an embarrassed tone. "Get a room!" I shouted which made Marco annoyingly snarl at me. "Hm. Then, I can agree on this proposal of yours, First! Please take care of us!" Ueshita said with a smile as she stands up and walks towards us. "Glad to hear that. I look forward to cooperating with you." I said as I stood up and shake her hand. "Glad things went smoothly. Anyway, I'll call your brother and Nishijima to update them." Minene said with a sigh as she stood up and went out of the room. "Er. Yeah, can I talk to you in private?" Marco said as he approached me. "Uh. Sure. Yuno. Stay with Marco's partner and Kamado-san, will you?" I said as I looked back at Yuno. She simply nodded and smiled at me. Me and Marco then take a step out while the ladies began to talk to one another.

Marco brought me by the garden. Oddly enough, the orphans were watching from afar. "Well, what do you want to talk about?" I asked him as I placed my hands in my pockets. "I … I want this to get out of my chest. I don't … really trust you, okay? Yeah, Kamado-san might agree in this proposal of yours, but if you try to do something, I'll kill you alright?" Marco said as he sternly looked at me. "Pft. Alright. Let's see if you can try." I said with a smile. "Y-You really have a sinister aura, you know." He commented as he lets out a sigh. "Sorry about that. Don't worry. Right now, you can say that I'm your bodyguard or something. I did say that I'll guarantee your safety from Eleventh's men." I said as I leaned my back against a nearby wall. "Anyway, introductions. I'm Ikusaba, Marco. One of the Sevenths." He said as he introduces himself. "I know already your name. I did a background check on every orphan in this place after all," I said with a smile. "Right, introductions. Nohiru, Toshiro, at your service. You can call me anything you want, but I really dislike being called the as reaper. The title of Thanatos did this after all." I said as I introduced myself while also point at the scar on the left portion of my face.

"Hm. You really have connections, don't you? You were the one who set up the whole alarms at the mall earlier, right?" Marco asked. "That was my elder brother. He's looking out for me, after all. Other than him, I got nothing. He's the only person that I know outside the survival game that is willing to support me." I replied as I began to play around with my black hair. Hm. My hair is pretty long now, huh? "Family, huh …" Marco muttered as he took out the Death Diary from his pocket. "That diary is pretty useful, huh? Lately, I tend not to rely on it." I commented. "How come? I thought you were taking the game seriously." He remarked as he looked at the orphans from afar. "I just have a strict philosophy and mind-set. I hate doing things the easy way. The recent encounter with my loose ends made me realize that," I stated as I did the same. "That fight made me realize that doing things the easy way isn't that effective. If I had properly planned things rather than marching head-strong due to the fear that something might happen to Yuno … I could've saved my left eye. At this point, I can't regret that event. I can't keep looking at the past, with this little time left for me." I said with a slight saddened tone in my voice.

Hearing my words, Marco let out a sigh and an annoyed expression appeared in his face. "You really plan on killing yourself for that girl, huh?" Marco asked as averted his gaze towards me. For a second, I hesitated. "Not really. There's something I have to do before anything else, and that is to grant her wish … and also mine. Though my wish doesn't concern godhood and it's rather a personal one. If push comes to shove and were to be cornered, I plan on killing her and myself. It's that … simple." I replied.

Once again, I find myself lying. I know that I will not sit back and let something bad happen to Yuno. Before that scenario could even happen, I'll do everything I can to keep her away from that.

She is … an important factor in my wish after all.

"Ugh. Alright, alright. Here." Marco said as he hands me my diary. "You're not going keep that?" I asked him. "No. It feels like I'm taking you as a hostage when you clearly don't have any motivation to strike us down." Marco replied as we noticed Ai slowly approaching us. "Just don't give me a reason to, and you'll be safe from me." I stated as I took my diary from his hands. "Ah. Are you guys talking? Kamado-san wishes to speak with you Mar." Ai said as her lover turned his gaze towards her. "Ugh. I bet she's going to scold me for being too harsh with my words earlier." Marco muttered as Ai smiled at him. "It's quite understandable, so don't worry about it." I said as I gave him a pat on the back. "Tch. Let's work together, alright?" He said as waved his hand and began to walk back to the main house with Ai.

Ikusaba, Marco and Mikami, Ai.

I could use them as long I act like on their behalf. As long I keep Eighth alive, they'll fight alongside with me. Well, aside from that, Eighth's orphans will probably fight alongside me too. Though we're still outnumbered by Eleventh's men, if I can somehow create a proper plan to corner Eleventh, we'll probably manage. I think it's time to te-

 _Ah! You were here all along, Toshii!_

Yuno's sudden voice startled me. I turned around to see my pink-haired lover, smiling at me as she made her way towards me. "Hey. How was the talk with Eighth and one of the Sevenths?" I asked her. "Well, I made sure that we'll be in their good side. I still don't know what you're planning though … Toshii." Yuno replied as she looked at me curiously. "Ah. Well, it's simple. Like I said earlier, we'll be needing allies if we're planning to take down Eleventh. Hm. How did it played in the first world?" I said as we began walking around the grounds of the orphanage. "W-Well … at most, I can remember you killing them all one by one. We assaulted this orphanage and killed everyone. The Sevenths and Eighth were killed during the siege. You killed Ninth instantly when she tried to assassinate you with her bombs. Eleventh … I can't remember anything about it that much … but it was a bloodbath," She muttered as she began clutching onto her temple. "In the end, there was only one thing that was burned onto my memories. It was the image of you with a displeased look on your face as you finally struck down Eleventh." She stated as I gave a tap on her shoulder.

"Don't force yourself love. That's enough." I said I nuzzled her pink hair with my hand. Displeased, huh? That must've been the time that Shaco came to realize our wish. Our one and selfish wish. "Anyway, enough of that," I said as I sat down on a nearby bench. Seeing me pat my hand on the free seat beside me, Yuno, who was still brushing the after effect of trying to remember her first world memories, smiled and sat down beside me. "The breeze is nice, right? We should buy a house in the countryside after all of this." I commented as I felt the cold night breeze pass through us. "After this … Toshii … have you forgotten? The-" "After all of this, you'd be dead, killed by my own hands." I muttered. "Yeah. That's my only wish after all. It is our promise, right?" She said with a smile as she poked my cheek.

"Well, let's say, our promise didn't took place. Let's say, we could live normal lives after all of this. How about it? Want to live in the countryside with me?" I asked her. "Uh. Uhm … of course, Toshii. Wherever you go, I'll go." Yuno replied. "Yuno. Come on. Don't answer with those kind of words. I want to hear your opinion too, you know." I remarked with a sigh as I shake my head. "Uh! Er … living in the city is getting a bit hectic, don't you think? I wouldn't mind living in somewhere near to nature." She frantically said as she tries not to disappoint or annoy me. Geez. She doesn't have to be so formal and frantic about it. "Ease up a little, would you?" I said as I lightly tickled her ribs. "W-Wait! Stop that! T-Toshii!" Yuno said as she pleads me to stop. Shortly after getting tickled by me, she rested her head onto my shoulder as I placed one of my arm behind her. I could feel my heart slightly aching, but I brushed off the pain and focused at this moment.

"So ... I never asked what you want to be in the future." I muttered as we stared at the vast night sky. "Your bride, silly." Yuno answered without any hesitation in her voice. "I mean, aside from that. Technically, we're actually married now, silly. So, what's your next plan?" I said as we noticed our wedding rings lightly glimmering due to the moonlight. "Er … I haven't put any thought on that. How about you, Toshii?" She asked. "Let's see … I have this weird interest in becoming a novelist or a mangaka. I don't know. Maybe … some job that allows me to leave a mark in this world? To leave something that can remind the people that I actually existed." I said with a rather serene tone in my voice. "Oh. That sounds good. Let's see … if I were to get a job, I think becoming a psychologist would be fine. Perhaps, a counsellor too!" Yuno happily said as she snuggles her cheek onto my chest. "A counsellor?" I muttered as I curiously looked at her. "Yeah. I don't want any other kids to suffer the way we did. I mean, if they went through the same things that we went through, they'll be like us, broken people who are trying to live out with what remains in their lives," She muttered as I felt the sincerity in her words. "I just don't want another me or another Toshii to go through the mess that we went through. Don't you think so, Toshii?" Yuno asked with a smile on her face.

"Yeah. Sounds good, love. Also, don't you think I already accomplished one of my promises?" I replied as I began gently nuzzling her pink hair once again with my hand. For a second, I noticed Yuno hesitated. It was like hearing my words made her remember something. "Hm? What are you talking about?" Yuno asked as she looked at me with her pink eyes. "Heh. I did promise that I'll marry you and make you happy, right? Well? Are you happy right now?" I replied as I gave her a warm smile. Hearing my words, I noticed the tears forming in her eyes. Her lips began to tremble as her hand tries to hide it. "T-Toshii … you remembered? You finally remembered?" She asked as her tears slowly trickled down. "Sorry it took a while, love. My memories … were filled by pain and despair. Those happy memories … were slowly buried by those. I'm s-" Before I could even finish my words, Yuno suddenly embraced and kissed me. As we shared a kiss, my heart began thumping and aching like crazy. I could feel my hand aching as I tried my best to shrug it off. After our lips parted from each other, Yuno rested her head onto my chest once more. "I'm happy … Toshii. I'm happy that you finally remembered." She muttered as she tries to stop herself from crying.

I can't believe how her personality developed. When I first Yuno, she only thought of me, and nothing else. I was the centre of her world, something that I don't really want. Now, she's even thinking for the future of kids that had similar cases with us. Kids that were thrown away and went through psychological break downs. Though that kind of future will never happen, where Yuno will officially be my counsellor wife, I'm actually happy that she's thinking like this at this very moment. She's … no longer broken. Yeah, she's still overprotective at times, but right now, she's trying her best to move on from her past.

Will she remember this once everything I planned is set to motion?

Will she even remember … no. I don't want her to remember. It's best for her not to remember any sappy, romantic moments such as this.

I can't let her suffer more than she already did just for the sake of attaining my selfish wish.


	16. Fury

**DAYS REMAINING: 22**

I could hear Yuno's soft breathing as she slept peacefully right beside me. I sluggishly sat up. Ugh. I feel a bit bad doing this, but this is the best option I could take. I can't let Yuno know my real plan. "Sleep well, love." I whispered into her ear as I slowly stood up, careful not to wake her. I silently went outside of our temporary room, as we had to move our base of operations in Ueshita's orphanage. As I slowly closed the door, a tap on my shoulder caught my attention. "Seriously though. Meeting us at this hour is kinda suspicions." Minene whispered as she let out a soft yawn. "Sorry. Anyway, let's go to the main house, shall we?" I said as I gave her a grin.

As we arrived in the main house, we were greeted by Ueshita and the Sevenths. "Hm? Second isn't with you?" Ueshita asked as she noticed that Yuno was missing. "Yeah. She's sleeping like a log, so let's get this short meeting started." I replied. They then lead us to the guest room once more. There, we sat in a form of a circle. "So? What's this important thing you want to talk about? You're cutting Ai's beauty sleep, you know." Marco asked as Ai rested her head onto his shoulder. "Alright. Let's get this underway, shall we," I said as I brought out my phone and placed it in the middle of the circle. Come to think of it, I heard a static earlier, but I'll probably check it after the meeting. "I approached you guys for an alliance, but to be honest, I have a … ulterior motive for that," I said. Hearing my words, Marco instantly put on an intimidating presence. "Ease up. My ulterior motive doesn't concern killing anyone of you guys. I have spoken to Deus in one of our private meetings. He agreed on the preposition that I gave." I said as I tried calm Marco down. "Marco, please. Anyway, what's this preposition that you're talking about?" Ueshita asked as Marco, who had no choice but to back down, sat back down.

"I could win this game if I simply to gather every diary."

My words caught their full attention. "W-What? What are you talking about?" Minene asked as I felt her gaze. "It's simple. I gather every diary from every diary owner, dead or alive. If I manage to pull this off, I could end this game before it gets out of hand even further," I replied as I took a deep breath. "I know. I sound sketchy as fuck, but please. This is the only possible option that I have left for me. Other than this, the whole game will be a bloodbath. This is me, trying to be civil and diplomatic in my own actions. Please, I beg for your cooperation." I stated as I knelt down and bowed my head in front of the diary users. This action alone is enough to make me puke. I don't normally bow down to anyone like this. I'm really … that desperate. These people will play a key role in my wish. Actually, if push comes to shove, I'll just kill them, but I don't want to destroy Shaco's wish. Heh. You better be watching me suffer right now, Shaco. This is the route that I'll take after all.

"Are you serious? Deus agreed on something like that and he didn't mentioned it to us? Of course it'll sound shady." Marco remarked as I heard his quite annoyed snarl. "But Mar, he sounds really serious about this," Ai muttered. "Uh, Toshiro-san? Is this the reason why your partner isn't here right now?" Ai asked. "Yeah. If Yuno was here, she'll be freaking out. She will not agree to this. That girl, is just too focused on keeping me safe and alive, so this alliance thing doesn't really work well with her." I replied. "Anyway, please, Nohiru-kun. Raise your head." Ushieta ordered. As I raised my head, I noticed that she was looking at me with a rather motherly smile. "You're tired, aren't you?" She asked. "W-What? What are you talking about?" I asked her. "I can see it in your eye. For a while now, I could see that you're trying your best to mask that look, to hide that from us. You're actually doing a good job, but … if you push too much, you'll probably break." She said in a motherly manner.

I can't help but to laugh after hearing her words. How the hell did she see through my façade? Am I losing my edge that much? "Tch. You got me," I muttered. "Yeah, I'm suffering, that doesn't matter now. I don't care if I break even further. I … just want to fulfil a promise, a wish. I'll end this game in my own terms, in my own way." I stated as I felt a slight tremble in my hands. Marco let out a sigh and shook his head. "You really are trying too much, you know." Marco commented. "Is that all, Toshiro-san? I mean, it's getting late …" Ueshita asked with a carefree smile on her face. "Uh … yeah. I just want to get it out of my chest. If you guys need to confirm with Deus, please go ahead, but do it in private. I can't let Yuno and Eleventh to know my plan." I replied with some slight confusion in my voice. Huh? Did they … simply accept it like that? "Alright. Once we confirm things with Deus, you'll have our full cooperation! So rest up. You can't look around like that in front of your partner you know." Ueshita said as she stood up. As the three went out of the room, I felt stunned. I was completely dazed.

"They … actually believed me." I muttered to myself. "With that face filled with desperation and despair, who wouldn't believe you?" Minene commented as she flicked her finger onto my forehead. I … can probably pull this off. No … I have to pull this off. I'm not letting this opportunity to go to waste. "Do … you believe me too, Nee-sama?" I asked Minene who sluggishly stood up. "Well … Deus already mentioned it to me when I had a talk with him while you were recovering. He told me that you were planning something big and I should keep an eye for that," She replied as she fixes her bed hair. "Seriously though, you really think I'll be a great god? Didn't I tell you before that I hate gods and things like that?" She asked as I slowly stood up. "That's the point." I replied as I let out a soft chuckle. "Geez. To be honest, if I'm wasn't in debt to your brother and we are placed a situation where it's a do or die for me, I'll probably betray you." Minene muttered as she fixes her eye patch. "I know. You don't have to tell me that. We both think alike, after all." I remarked as I let out a yawn. Ugh. My eye is getting heavy. I might as well rest first. I'll go check my diary later. "Tsh. You really are like a little brother." Minene softly muttered as I passed by her. "Pft. Whatever. Night." I said as I went back to my room.

* * *

For once, I could hear the clear sound of birds chirping from a distance. I slowly opened my eye. It's already morning, huh? I slowly sat up and looked to my side. Hm. Yuno must've woke up earlier than usual. Anyway, I might as well get up and greet them. As I slowly stood up, I suddenly felt like I was forgetting something. Did I … forget something again? I know that since Amano's nearly fully recovered, there are times I tend to forget some of my memories. I … don't even remember my first memory anymore. That was … when I was a kid, right? Before the accident, I believe. Pft. It doesn't matter. As long I get this shit done, I'll be happy.

As I walked towards the main house for some breakfast, I noticed the other orphans were playing around by the garden. Come to think of it, they're a mixture of kids and some young adults who were probably taken in by Ueshita at a young age. Some of them looks capable enough in a fight, so I'm probably going to count on them once we take on Eleventh. As I reached the foyer, I noticed that Yuno was standing near the living room. She must be waiting for me, huh? "Hey. Good morning, love." I said as I gave her a wave and walked towards her. "A-Ah. Toshii … good morning." Yuno greeted back, but something felt off in her tone. Did she have a nightmare or something? "You okay? You don't look so good." I asked her. "U-Uh. Yeah. It's just …"

 _Oy Gasai! Make sure Toshiro doesn't come in!_

Huh? That was Minene's voice just now. "Huh? What are they doing?" I muttered. As I was about to take a step towards the door, Yuno suddenly grabbed onto my wrist. "You … shouldn't, Toshii. Come on. Shouldn't we eat breakfast first?" Yuno muttered as she gave a smile. I quickly saw through her fake smile and realized that something was off. Wait a minute. I haven't heard anything from aniki and my diary was missing when I woke up earlier. "You know … my diary is missing. You have it?" I asked her. "Y-Yeah. Don't worry, it's safe with me. Come on, Toshii. The food is goi-"

I forcefully freed my hand from Yuno's grip. Something's going on. Against Yuno's demands, I stormed in the living room. "What the hell is happening here?" I asked as I saw the other diary users, watching the television. Ah. They're just watching the news … wait. Why does Minene have this distressed expression on her face? "Oy, Nee-sama. What's wron-"

 _As you can see, anyone who's trying to destroy the peace that we established in our city, will meet the same fate like they did!_

A rather familiar voice from the television caught my attention. It feels like I've heard that voice before during one of the interviews or something. I slowly turned my head towards the screen. My eye was left wide open as I fully grasp what really happened. I finally realized why aniki wasn't updating me last night. As I saw the two bodies that were hung on a noose in the screen, I felt something inside of me finally broke down. My breathing became erratic as fury and anguish slowly filled my mind. I made a mistake … I should've kept my mouth shut. I should've asked for aniki's help. If I did, I wouldn't have stopped this from happening. There, at the screen, was a live broadcast of a public execution. Two men that were labelled as terrorists. One of them, was an old man, probably in his mid-fifties, while the other was a young man with a slight messy hair. I know these two quite well. I … am the reason why they're executed after all.

I fell on my knees. I could feel a sudden nauseous feeling slowly swelling up in my throat. "F-Father … aniki …" I muttered as my vision slowly became hazy. My mind was on fire. Rage was fuming up in my head as I saw the two men who were standing in a pedestal in front of them. One was my former partner in crime and had the title of this day's executioner, while the other was the mayor of the city. "Arashi …" I muttered as I clenched my teeth so hard. I was too complacent. I should've planned ahead and made sure that aniki and Father got out of the city as soon as possible. No … was it possible in the first place? I'll … kill them. I'll fucking murder them and bathe in their fucking blood!

As I was about to stand up and march out of the room, Marco stopped me in my track. "It's a lure to get you out. If y-" "I don't give a shit! I'll fucking murder them in public! I'll destroy them! I'll kill anyone who'll stand in my way!" I furiously shouted at Minene as I pushed Marco away. "Tsh. Damn it. This is why I told you not to let him in …" Minene muttered as Yuno walks in. "T-Toshii … please. Calm down and th-" "Calm down? Heh. Do you think I can be calm after seeing my brother and father executed by those two?! Do you think I can sit here and make a plan after all of this?!" I angrily shouted at Yuno. I … am merely venting out right now. I don't … want to do this. I have to stop … myself before I say anything even further. "I know. I know how you feel. I … Kazuto-san was like an older brother to me too. So please … let's try t-"Before Yuno could even finish, I pushed her aside. Hearing her groan after she landed on her butt made me stop in my track. Why am I … doing this? This isn't me. I'm well aware of the danger of asking for help from aniki. Why … can't I think straight …

 _You don't need anyone. Remember? Shaco lift your limiters._

That voice … who are you ….

 _I am you, or should I say. The real you. The one that you're hiding after hearing Shaco's wish._

Get out … from my head …. Let me think … straight …

 _Think? Do you think you could really come up with a plan at this rate? No. You won't. The only thing that could get you back on your feet is to kill that bastard once and for all._

Arashi …

 _Yes. Him. He's been a thorn in our side for quite some now, right? If no one's willing to help you right, then we'll just leave them here. He's our problem after all … and it's quite natural for us to deal with him by ourselves, right?_

You … have a point …

 _See? Stop putting on that façade and do it.  
_ _Kill him. Kill everyone who'll stand in your way.  
_ _That's the only thing we're good at, after all._

* * *

It's been hours ever since Toshii stormed out. I couldn't stop him. I wanted to … but he was too furious, too scary. I never saw that aura from him before. If I have said something to stop him, I had a feeling that he'll lash out towards me too. I … am pathetic. Toshii helped me so much to get me back on my own two feet but now … I can't even comfort him.

"Gasai. Any updates on him?" Ninth asked as we sat by the outside hallway at the garden. Since Eleventh began his move, we sat here to keep watch. He might attack anytime now since Toshii isn't with us at the moment. Aside from that, we don't have our equipment right now. Yeah, I do have knives and Ninth has her pistol, but that alone isn't enough to stop his men. "He's … in the sewers. At this rate, he'll corner that guy soon." I replied as I kept track on Toshii's status with my diary. Even by reading the entries alone, I could feel Toshii's suffering.

 **July 5 – 19:30  
** _Toshii made it to the sewers. He's physically okay, but mentally … he's going unstable …_

 **July 5 – 19:40  
** _Toshii's hands are full of blood right now. He killed any men who stood in his way. I … have to comfort him after comes back …_

 **July 5 – 19:50  
** _Toshii's finally catches up his family's killer. I'm not nervous about him winning … but will he be the same Toshii that I know once he kills him? I'm scared …_

"You're worried about him?" Ninth asked as the gentle night breeze passed by us. "Always." I muttered as I held onto my diary firmly. "He's going to break. When he ran off earlier, he was on the verge of losing his mind. I saw it clearly in his eye." She remarked as she brings out her pistol and took out its ammo clip. "Don't say that! You don't know anything about Toshii! He'll … get through this! I know he can!" I angrily shouted at her. She simply looked at me with annoyance in her eye and proceeds to rearrange the ammunition in the clip. "Stop lying to yourself. We both know that Toshiro knows that even by killing that man, he can never save his family. It was his fault why Kazuto and his father were killed. He feels responsible and guilty about it, and that's why he's out there trying to get that guy." Ninth stated with a calm tone in her voice. "I just … hope that he'll come back. If something happens to him … if something …" I muttered. Even before I could even finish my words, my tears began to fall. I can't help it. I hate being powerless like this. Toshii is out there suffering and I'm here, completely powerless to do something about it. "Don't worry. He'll come back. I know he will." Ninth said as she gave me a rub on my back as I tried my best to stop myself from crying my eyes out.

 _ **BZZZZZT!**_

A sudden static caught my attention. It came not only from my Toshiro Diary, but also, the Death Diary that Toshii left earlier. A sudden wave of anxiety filled my mind. That can't be. Something's going to happen … to Toshii …?

Toshii … come back alive … please …

* * *

Blood.

Blood all over my hands. There's blood on my face, on my clothes, everywhere. Heh. The smell of the red crimson is leaving my mind in a state of ecstasy. The voice in my head was right. Killing … is the only thing we're good at. One by one, they fell. No one was able to stand in my way. I'll kill him. I'll rip out his guts and bathe in his blood. Heh. That sounds like a plan.

 _That's it! Lavish the moment! You're the reaper, right? Show them that you should be feared! Show them the same despair that made you go through!_

Bullets flew by as I kept on running towards them. With a few slashes from my wrist blades, they fell flat on the floor, completely lifeless. Why … are trying to stop me? They're cops … they should apprehend Arashi since he killed my family … right? I'm merely trying to get avenge them … is that something wrong? Heh. Pft. No … It doesn't matter. I don't care what they stand for. I don't care what they're trying to do. As long as they try to get in between the two of us … I'll make sure I'll take those fragile lives away.

Chasing, I kept on chasing. How many men have I slaughtered? How many gallons of blood have I spilled today? Shaco … I broke my promise. This isn't civil at all, but … I don't have a choice right? Hehe. I never had a choice … right? I reached an open space. In the middle was Arashi, being covered by his men. Submachine guns. Heh. This … is going to be fun. I picked up a nearby corpse and used it as a meat shield as they sprayed lead towards me. The corpse suddenly let out some pain filled screams as the bullets penetrated his body. Ah. He was still alive, I see. "You're noisy! Shut up!" I shouted as my left blade penetrated the back of his neck, dislodging his spinal cord's connection to his brain. One by one, his bodyguards fell. Finally, it was just the both of us … in room filled with corpses and blood.

"You really lost it … didn't you? Did I break what left in that sanity of yours? Heh. I'm the winner then." Arashi stated with a big smile on his face. Sanity … what is he talking about? "I'm … completely sane. I'm the sanest person in this room right now. Heh. Hehe." I said with a chuckle as I felt my hands trembling for more. "Pitiful. I really love that state you're in. It makes me acknowledge every single shit that I made you go through. I can't help but to be proud of it." He remarked as he brings out a dagger. A d-dagger … that isn't enough for me. Is he … underestimating me? I'll … I'll show him. I … I'll show … wait. I have to think … no. I don't need to think. I just have to kill him, right?! Right?!

Our blades clashed with one another. His motions were swift, just like mine. He was my mentor after all. Since our blades couldn't do much, we exchanged blows with our fists. Surprisingly, I could feel his blows dealing some damage on my body and he was able to withstand my punches. He jumped back and spat out some blood from his mouth. "Hoho. You got stronger." Arashi commented with a smile as he jumped back into the fray. "Shut up. Your voice is making me want to puke." I annoyingly remarked as our blades were locked on one another. Why … can he withstand my attacks? My limiter's off, right? Then why … why can't I …

With one strong kick from Arashi, my body flew backwards onto the mossy concrete wall. Blood spewed out from my mouth as my body slowly slid downwards. "Funny. I really find it funny that you're still fighting back. A broken mind, plus wounds all over your body? You really have a death wish, you know?" Arashi remarked with a sinister grin on his face. What is he … huh? I realized just now that my arms and legs were littered with slash wounds. Is that the reason why my blows became considerably weak? I … don't give a shit. He'll have openings sooner or later. This wounds alone isn't enough to kill me. I sluggishly stood up and wiped away the blood from my mouth. "You're a fast one." I muttered as I flicked out my wrist blades once more. With my hazy vision, I could see him by the middle of the room. Wait … he brought out his revolver? "Tsh, tsh. Dodge this, Kaze." He muttered.

 **BANG!**

I could feel the hot sensation on my right arm as my blade went flying. Knowing I wouldn't be able to dodge it, I chose to somehow block the bullet with my right arm. My wrist blade did stop the bullet from hitting its mark, but the mechanism broke and the blade was destroyed. "Ah. Still functioning, are we?" Arashi muttered as he kept that same sinister look on his face. Before he could even shoot another bullet, I closed in. With my left blade, I tried to stab his abdomen but was stopped with his revolver's steel handle. "Tsh! That fucking gun!" I angrily shouted as I saw the barrel aimed onto my forehead.

 **BANG!**

Another shot, but this time around, an utter miss. The bullet landed squarely on the floor behind me as I sliced his right leg with my blade. Arashi let out some grunts as he kicked me back once again. "Persistent brat. Heh. I just have to break you even further, huh? The mayor did pay me a hefty price to get you here. In our contract, I have to be sure that I break you, until you're no longer fit to fight. If I can, I'll kill you, but where's the fun in that," Arashi stated as he clocked back his revolver's hammer. "3 more bullets left. Think you can kill me before I disable your limbs?" He confidently asked as he brings out his dagger once more. "You talk too much." I annoyingly said as we closed in once more.

The sound of our blades clashing, fists and kicks connecting onto our bodies echoed all throughout the sewers. Blow after blow, my mind and body were reaching its breaking limit. Physically and mentally wounded, I kept on pressing my attacks. Arashi's limbs are now at the same state as mine, yet he's still standing. After a strong kick from me and a heavy straight from him made us reeling backwards, we sat still for a second to catch our breaths. "You really are a tough fucker. Tougher than your brother," He said as he wiped away the blood from his nostrils with his hand. "Did you see his hands? Heh. I had my time with him before we hanged him and your pops. He screams … rather unpleasant though. Well, can't blame him since I slowly took out his fingernails and poured ac-" Hearing his words was enough to spark a state of frenzy in my head. My hands were shaking in fury. He's taunting me, and he succeeded, but will that matter? I've decided now. I won't die to him, no matter what. Of all the people that could kill me, I'll never let him have that taste.

 _Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill him. Kill him. Kill him._

 _Slaughter him!_

Before he could even stand up, I charged in with a blind fury in my eye. Seeing me furious made Arashi smile as he aimed his revolver at me.

 **BANG!**

I felt the bullet graze my right leg, but everything's numb. I was too focused on killing him that my body suddenly felt light and numb. My wounds weren't hurting that much compared to earlier. "Tsh. The last play before the curtain call, huh?" Arashi muttered as he tried to stop my charge with a kick, but to his surprise, I quickly stepped to my side and grabbed his left leg. With one heavy stab, I rendered his left leg useless as my blade pierced deep onto his thigh. He let out a loud painful shout, but that was enough time to prime his revolver once more. Two more shots, he has two more bullets. I have t-

 **BANG!**

My eyes were left wide open as the bullet nearly missed my head. I could see a slight frantic look on his face, but he's still calm enough to try to push me away with his hands. I threw his left leg aside, which made him lose all of his balance. As he was about to fall, I noticed a slight opening on my left shoulder. I felt the blade of his dagger piercing through my flesh and hitting a bone as he stabbed my shoulder. I let out a painful groan as he fell down onto the dirty floor, priming the last bullet. "This is the difference between us, Kaze. I chose this path, while you were forced into it," He muttered as he aimed the revolver at me. At this range, he won't miss. My movement is too slow now that if I try to dodge that bullet, I'll probably end up with a worse situation than this. "I kill for pleasure, I torture for glee. Heh. Bringing pain and torment, was the only thing we were good at, right? Now. I'll be taking back that title now." He stated with a smile. With the last ounce of my strength, I dashed towards him.

 **BANG!**

For a second, time froze. Did he … shot me in the chest? I could feel a heat sensation on my right arm. Heck, my right arm's all numb all of the sudden. Oh. He got my right arm. In the end, he missed a vital spot. I clenched my teeth as the bullet blasted through my right arm. I casted my pain aside and pounced on him. He was still smiling as I rendered his arms useless with my blade. "I still win …" Arashi muttered with a satisfied tone as I began to slice him open. I furiously roared as I sliced his throat open. Blood spewed out, yet he's still smiling. Why … can't I take away that smile?! Is he enjoying his death that much?! "You fucker! Why are you smiling?! You didn't won! It was me! I am the victor!" I furiously shouted as I smashed his head in onto the floor. Even with his face caved in after a couple of blows from his revolver's steel handle, I could still see his smile. Wrathful, I kept on destroying his body, limb by limb.

* * *

I slowly opened my eye. I … lost consciousness? Probably due to my blood lost, but I'm still … alive, huh? I slowly sat up. Arashi's mangled body was scattered across the room. His guts were in one corner while some of his brain membrane were in the other. I killed him … I avenged aniki and Father … but … why do I feel empty? Hey … the voice in my head … the true me … why aren't you talking? Are we satisfied now? Ugh. My mind is a mush. I can't think straight and my thoughts are scattered. I … think I understand now why he was satisfied on how it ended for him. He fulfilled his final contract … leaving me in this state …

As I slowly stood up and limped towards the nearest exit, I felt something going on inside my head. It was like the fragments and shards of my thoughts were forcibly being taken out from me. Slowly, I reached the nearest manhole exit. I … have to tend these wounds. I don't want to die like this. It's fucking horrible. As I slowly climbed the ladder with one arm, I slowly realized what was being taken away from my mind. Memories … it was memories. At this point, I was being expecting my past to flash in front of my eye, but nothing was happening. I was close to death now, but … there was nothing.

Mother … do I have a mother? I … can't remember her face nor her voice anymore. I can't remember … a promise back when I was a kid. I can't remember the shit that I went through before this whole game started. I can't … remember … who I just killed right now.

As I pushed the manhole cover aside, I sluggishly crawled out of the sewers. I'm … in an abandoned factory complex? Heh. I'm done, huh? At this state, can I still fight? I'm tired. I guess wishes won't come true. The cold concrete floor is a good place for me to die. My wish … what was my wish again?

 _Toshii! Ninth! Toshii's over here!_

I heard a voice from a distance, but it was too late. My consciences already drifted away. Before completely losing my senses, I was left with a question.

 _Who was she again?_


	17. Broken

I can feel my heart throbbing madly as I saw a heavily wounded boy crawling from a nearby manhole. My hands were shaking in fear and anxiety as I quickly rushed to his side. He's badly wounded and at this rate, he's probably at the brink of death. "Ninth! He's over here! Toshii's over here! Come quick!" I shouted with my lungs out as I tried my best to call out our eye-patched ally. I knelt down beside the wounded boy and opened my first aid kit. I have to stop the bleeding, I … have to stop it before he bleeds out. I gently took off his top and my eyes were left wide open as I saw his wounds all over his body. I … I don't have enough time.

"Gasai … Yuno …"

Toshii muttered my name. His voice was shaky and I can clearly see a delirious look in his eyes. "Save your strength, Toshii! Stay with me!" I shouted as I began treating his wounds. I have to stich the big cuts on his arms and left shoulder. His right arm … his right arm was severely wounded. There was a bullet hole in his right forearm but luckily, it seems the bullet went through. "I … can't die … to you …" He muttered. "Don't talk! Listen to me! I'll fix you right up!" I frantically muttered as I kept tending his wounds with my shaking hands. A few seconds in, Ninth finally showed up. "Oy! Wh-" "W-We need to close his wounds and do a blood transfusion! G-Get the blood packs ready!" I frantically shouted as my hands were stained with Toshii's warm blood.

After a lot of suture and cloth that were completely drenched in blood, we finally stopped Toshii's bleeding. Ninth lets out a sigh of relief as we finally began the blood transfusion. "Good thing I still have those blood packs from my nurse act a while ago. Letting him die here will leave a bad taste in my mouth and his brother will probably haunt me in my sleep." Ninth muttered as she wipes away the blood on her cheek. His body was gradually getting warmer, but I still have to check my diary.

 **July 5 – 20:20  
** _Toshii's bleeding has stopped and he's gradually getting warmer. Stay with me, Toshii!_

 **July 5 – 20:30  
** _Toshii's suddenly began to crawl away from us! What's going on with you, Toshii?!_

 **July 5 – 20:40  
** _Toshii went berserk and his wounds opened once more. After a few minutes, he fell down, completely lifeless. Toshii's … dead._

W-What? I quickly checked the time. It was already a minute pass eight-thirty in the evening. I quickly shifted my attention back to Toshii, who, just like what my diary stated, began to crawl away from us. "T-Toshii?! What are you doing?!" I shouted as I quickly stood up and ran towards him. "S-Stay away …" Toshii muttered with great distress in his voice. Ninth quickly took notice of his actions and ran towards us. "Oy! What are you doing?! You're in a bad shape! Your wounds will reopen if you move too much!" Ninth stated as I dropped my duffle bag and opened it. I … I have no choice. We have to sedate Toshii or he'll die. "N-Ninth is here too …? F-Fuck … I have … the worst luck …" He muttered as he dragged himself towards the manhole. I finally realized that he was trying to reach that knife that was lodged on his left shoulder earlier. I … can't let him go berserk. I won't let him die!

As Ninth was trying to stop Toshii from moving, I took out a syringe that was filled with a sedating drug. I prepared this before when I was planning to take Toshii away and hide somewhere safe, but since things turned out nicely, I placed that plan aside and began to enjoy my remaining time with him. Since things are getting out of hand, I have no choice. "I'm sorry … Toshii." I muttered as I mustered all of my courage. As Ninth held him down, I slowly inject the sedative onto his left arm. He tried to force himself out, but soon, the sedative took effect and he lost consciousness. "Where the hell did you get that?" Ninth asked with a rather surprised look in her eye. "He's okay now. Get off him." I said as I ignored her question and pushed her aside. "O-Oy! Hey! Geez. No need to push me." Ninth grunted as I wiped away the blood on Toshii's face. He's suffered too much. He lost his family hours ago and he tried to push himself to the limit so that he could avenge them. You really are reckless, aren't you Toshii? I … I won't let you do something drastic like this again.

No one will ever harm you again, Toshii.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 21**

* * *

It's been five days ever since we recovered Toshii. His body is slowly recovering, but there's something wrong with him. Even my diary can't pick up what's going on with him. Well, my diary could only foresee his future actions, but not his emotions. He's … clearly suffering and till now, he's completely delirious. He can't eat, nor do simple things. Ever since he regain consciences, he'd try to escape or kill us from time to time, but we kept him in check. I kept on sedating him in a moderate basis. It feels bad if I completely knock him out when he's tame when he's slightly sedated.

Knowing fully that Toshii isn't capable of making up a plan or fighting at all, Eleventh seized the opportunity and attacked us. Though we lost a small number of Eighth's orphans, we were forced to evacuate from the orphanage. With the help of Ninth's diary, we managed to escape with our lives from Eleventh's trap. Right now, we're hiding in some shady portion of Sakurami City, which is located near the outskirts of the town. The area was filled with abandoned buildings and factories. Basically, this was the former industry portion of the city and ever since Eleventh became the mayor, the industries were transferred in the opposite side of the city. For now, this will do for us. We can't be picky in our current scenario.

"Here. Rations for today." Ninth said as she handed me a small bento box. At the moment, it was lunch time and Eighth and the Sevenths were distributing food for the orphans. "Thanks. Is it en-" "Yeah. That's enough for the both of you," She replied as she sat down beside us and began eating her share. "You should take a rest. It doesn't seems that he'll go berserk any moment or so." She muttered as she caught a glimpse of Toshii, who was handcuffed beside me. To control him if ever he goes berserk, we handcuffed his wrists so that he won't be able to hurt himself nor us. "I can't. I have to look out for him. It's my turn to repay him." I muttered as I open the small bento box and began eating one of the rice balls. Toshii seemed to notice our meal and let out a shallow grunt. Ever since he woke up, he couldn't also talk that well. He would mutter my name from time to time, but he mostly grunts now. "Hm? You hungry, Toshii? Here." I said as I bring the rice ball near his mouth. He took a bite and began chewing while he stared blankly onto the concrete floor.

"It feels bad looking at him like this," Ninth muttered as she lets out a slightly defeated sigh. "We should've … stopped him. I'm pretty sure his brother is furious at me right now. Knowing Kazuto, he wouldn't let him go blindly like that." She said as she brings out her diary and began checking it for any updates. "It's too late now. If we stopped him back then, he'd be … furious at us. No matter what we would have done, he'd still storm out and kill that man." I said as I wiped away the rice on Toshii's cheek. "Messy eater, are we?" I commented with a smile as Toshii looked at me with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "Pft. Your dedication to him is something." Ninth commented as she watched us. "I do love him, after all. He's the reason of my living," I remarked as I fixed Toshii's black hair. "Did you … love Toshiro's brother? I just find it how you're treating him so highly disturbing." I asked Ninth who was shocked to hear my question. "W-What? The hell are you talking about," She frantically said as she tried to calm herself down. I merely kept staring at her as she slowly calmed down. "It's not … about love or something. I respect him, greatly. Like what he did to his brother, he tried to give me a shot for a normal life. Well, for my case, I took it for granted. I went back to my ways," She stated as she looked at the Sevenths with a rather calm expression. "I owe him, and he was a great friend. He's the type of person that acts like he doesn't care, but he'll risk his own life for you. He's a bigass tsundere after all." She stated with a chuckle.

After handing out the rations, the Sevenths approached us. "Hey. Any update on him?" One of the Sevenths asked as he fixed his pompadour with a comb. "Still the same. Well, at leas-"

 _Don't fuck with us!_

His sudden outburst startled us. His rather calm demeanor suddenly disappeared. I could see a flame of anger in his eyes as he angrily looked at Toshii. Before I could even stand up and block his gaze, Ninth stood up and stepped in. "You think we could easily stomach the fact that our friends were killed when he could've stopped Eleventh's agents?!" He furiously shouted as his partner tried to stop him. "What? We force a mentally broken person to fight?! I know he's the so called Thanatos and all, but he's a fucking teenager! Of course he has own limits!" Ninth angrily snarled back. "Ninth …" I muttered as I watched Ninth defend Toshii from Seventh's furious rants. It was quite understandable why he's completely agitated. We're losing to Eleventh. It was that simple. Though we have an alliance, the moment he tries to attack Toshii, I'll kill them all. No one …

No one can touch him other than me.

Night fell and most of the people in our hideout were already sleeping. After Ninth's shift, she made her way back to our spot and dusted off the dirt from her makeshift bed and lied down. Though it was dark, I can completely feel her gaze that was set on me. "What are you doing?" Ninth asked with a tired tone in her voice. "Just preparing something." I replied as the sound of blade being sharpened echoed throughout our area. Since Toshii's already sleeping, I have some time to prepare my weapons. Right now, I'm sharpening the katana that his brother gave me. Good thing Toshii's sleeping soundly. "Geez. You're making everyone uneasy you know. Get some sleep already." Ninth remarked as she lets out a yawn. "Yeah. I will. I'll finish this first." I said as I diligently continued underneath the moonlight. "W-Wait a second. Gasai. Have you checked your diary?" Ninth asked with a sudden tense tone in her voice. "Hm? What is it?" I said as I turned around. To my utter surprise, Toshii was missing. He wasn't in our makeshift bedding. He was nowhere to be seen. I … I didn't realize that he managed to undo the chain in his handcuffs. I … I was careless. I thought he'd be tame … I didn't know that he was just waiting for a cha-

 _Get your shit together, Gasai!_

Ninth placed her hands on my shoulders and shook me. "A-Ah … my diary. Right …" I said as I nervously brought out my diary. "I know you're rather upset when the Sevenths began ranting earlier, but why the hell didn't you pay attention to Toshiro?!" Ninth annoyingly said as she began to look around.

 **July 10 – 21:30  
** _Toshii somehow managed to reach a nearby abandoned factory. Wait for me Toshii!_

 **July 10 – 21:40  
** _Toshii snapped and began hurting himself. He's bleeding profusely from his old wounds. Stop that, Toshii!_

 **July 10 – 21:50  
** _Toshii fell down from the 3_ _rd_ _floor as I reached the factory. His body smashed against the concrete floor. He's dead …_

It's not too late. I still have some time. I … I have to go, now or I can't stop Toshii from committing suicide! "Ninth! He's in another abandoned factory! He's a few minutes away from going berserk!" I frantically shouted as I stood up. "Tch. I'm comi-" "No. You stay here. He's my responsibility." I muttered as I ran off. He can't run off that far. He's probably in a near abandoned factory.

Wait for me, Toshii! I'm coming to save you!

* * *

Where … am I?

 _Come on now, Shiro-chan. Papa's waiting for us._

Huh? That voice … it's familiar, but I can't tell it who it is …

 _Shiro-chan … go … don't stay here …  
_ **BOOM!**

My head … is a mess. What … happened to me …?

 _Marry me in the future, alright, Toshii!  
_ _Welcome to our family, Toshiro-chan._

Are those … voices from my memories? From the fragments of my memories? Where … am I dragging my body? Where the hell is this? Why are my wrists handcuffed?

 _You have to do this. If you want your father to acknowledge you, you have to withstand this training.  
_ _It's alright, Toshiro-chan. Auntie and Uncle loves you dearly. You're like … our own son._

My right arm hurts like hell. Why is it bandaged like this? Did I get myself into a fight? Where's … Yuno …? Where's aniki … or Nee-sama? Did they … die? Did Eleventh attacked us? I can't remember a thing … the last thing I could remember is that I talked to the Eighth and Sevenths about my plan. While my whole entire being began to feel pain, I found myself in an abandoned building. How the hell did I get here? My diary … where's my diary? It's not in my pockets. What the hell … happened?

 _I was too late … Toshiro. I'm sorry.  
_ _I … want to start again. I want to be a proper father to you this time around._

Right … I have to find my diary. I have to tell aniki to run away and hide. He should get the old man and vacate the city. I can't … let them take the fall for me. Eleventh's my problem … but I need to rest. I need to sit down. I have to clear my mind. I dragged myself to a nearby rusty staircase. I sat down and tried to catch my breath. "Ugh … My head …" I grunted as I held onto my pulsating temple. My right arm felt numb and I can't move it at all. My vision was completely shaky. It was like I was drunk or something. As a sudden breeze passed by, a rugged newspaper flew in the abandoned factory. It landed a few inches away from my feet. With my completely hazy sight, I noticed the news article in the newspaper.

"Terrorist … killed by the mayor?" I muttered as I read the article out loud. Wait … a minute. The man in the picture … he looks like … aniki …

 _You're the reason why they were killed.  
_ _Time for the curtain call, Kaze._

A sudden wave of memories flowed into my mind. I suddenly felt nauseous and began throwing up. I felt sick to my very core. I could vividly remember a scene. I was in a sewer littered with bodies. I could remember the stagnant and putrid smell of blood mixed with the stench of waste. I was there … in an open area, fighting someone. He was … Arashi. He did this to my body … he almost killed me but I killed him. I … avenged my family.

 _Who are you kidding? You're no avenger.  
_ _Your failure to protect your family drove you to hunt him down. You were haunted with guilt and despair, which was enough to push yourself to the brink of death._

That voice … the same voice who pushed me to hunt down Arashi. Suddenly, my thoughts were clouded and filled with old memories. Every contract that I did, every person I've killed, I suddenly began to vividly remember each of them. My hands began to shiver, and my head began to throb even harder.

 _You know what? Fuck this. Fuck this trying-to-be-civil shit. I don't have for that.  
_ _I'll kill everyone. Eleventh, Ninth, Eighth and the Sevenths. I'll just kill them all.  
_ _Yuno … well … I'll just lock her away and take her diary away from her. I'll let this false world crumble down and kill Amano myself.  
_ _Heh. Hehe. I'll be god. I'll erase Amano and take Yuno as mine.  
_ _  
Hehe. Hahahaha._

I was smiling, laughing like a madman as I painfully held onto my head. "S-Stop it …" I muttered as I tried to stop this wicked thoughts from further consuming my mind. I sluggishly stood up. How … can I stop this? Anyone … help me.

 _Kill them.  
_

 _Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them._

My screams of laughter and anguish echoed throughout the factory. I found myself shambling on a catwalk. I … know. I can stop this madness once and for all. At this level, I can … end it. Pathetic it might be, I can at least end my suffering. I … this is it … huh? "Shut … up …" I muttered. My body suddenly fell onto the rusty walkway of the catwalk. Why … now? I dragged myself towards the open ledge. I was a few feet away from my salvation when I heard someone rushing up the metal staircase.

 _Toshii!_

The young girl shouted as she ran towards me. Her face was filled with sweat and her eyes were teary. Hearing her voice was enough to silence the maniacal laughter in my head. "Baka! Why did you run away?!" Yuno tearfully asked as she helped me stand up. "Why … are you here?" I muttered. "Of course I'll be here. I'm your Yuno, after all." She replied. At that moment, my mind was completely consumed by those thoughts. I held onto her, my heart began to throb madly once more. I was consumed by a single thought.

 _If I can't have her as my own, then no one … no one gets to have her._

I placed my shaking hand on her shoulder. "Yuno …" I muttered as she looked at me dearly with her teary eyes. "Yes, Toshii? I'm here." Yuno said as she embraced me. One strong push was enough to make her fall. I just need … one single push. As I was about to push her onto the rusty railing, a sudden wave of memories rushed into my mind. I can see it clearly. All of memories I have with her are cracked and were stained, yet it hold so much meaning to me. The sensation was enough to stop that impulse. I remember every moment that we had vividly. I remember how I cherish her greatly more than my well-being. I remember that my simple act of kindness saved her from her abyss. Though this world is merely a proxy, a fake, I did so much for her. Am I really going to kill this girl who's trying her best to save a trash like me?

The madness inside of me slowly simmered down. My body fell on her arms, completely defeated. I can … never bring myself to hurt her. I can never bring myself to take her actions for granted. Though I am merely a proxy being that's a temporary replacement for her dear Amano, she made me feel complete. Though I've killed men for my own pleasure and gain, I can never bring myself to bring this girl to any harm.

"I'm … tired, Yuno …" I muttered with a defeated tone in my voice. "If you're tired, then rest. I'm always here to pick up the slack, Toshii." Yuno warmly whispered as I felt her body's warmth. "Do you … still love me?" I muttered once more. "Of course I do. I will never fall out of love in you, Toshii." She whispered as she embraced me lovingly. Knowing my future actions, I beg to differ to her statement … but I'm too tired. I'm tired struggling … struggling against this fate of mine. No matter what I do, I can never be the person that will always be by her side and that thought alone is breaking me and my will. I'm no saint … I'm merely a human being too. Seeing her happy with Amano … though it's for the best, is driving me insane. I fell onto my knees. Tears suddenly trickled down as I embraced her body tightly as I can. I just … find it funny. This girl … became the sole reason of my struggle to alter my fate, this girl who was broken by her past, became my reason of living … my reason to look onto the future.

Time slowly passed as I held onto her, sobbing and cursing my fate in my own mind, while she tenderly comforted me. She never let go.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 16**

* * *

We arrived back at our hideout just a few minutes before sun rise. The first one to greet us was Minene, who was clearly up all night trying to look for us. "Oy! Where the hell did you go?!" Minene annoyingly asked Yuno as I noticed the blackish hue underneath her eyes. "S-Sorry. I … kinda lost myself for a moment." I said as I held firmly onto Yuno's hand. Though my heart was in great pain, I can't seem to let go of her. "A-Ah. You're … back, Toshiro?" Minene muttered as she noticed that I finally got out from my delirious state. Our reunion was cut short when I saw Marco stomping towards us. Yuno briefed me earlier on our way back, so I'm know why he's furious.

 **BAM!**

A good solid left hook landed on my left cheek. Yuno let out a surprised tone as Marco retract his arm and grabbed me by my collar. My partner was about to draw out a knife when I stopped her. "Is that … enough for you to vent out your anger?" I asked him as I spat some blood out onto the floor. "You … finally back, huh?" Marco remarked as he lets go of my collar. "Sorry if it took a while. I was reckless, and placed all of you in a risky situation." I said as Yuno quickly tended the cut on my lower lip. "We lost some good men. At this point of time, I'm really at the verge of killing you. Eleventh has us cornered. We ca-"

"Why the fuck are we playing defensive, anyway?" I said as I gently pushed Yuno aside. "Defensive? Why do you think we are? We're fucking outnumbered, outgunned! How the fuck can we take the fight to them?!" Marco angrily shouted as his anger is slowly getting the better of him. He was about to cock back his arm once more when Ai stopped him. "Mar. There's no reason to fight." Ai sternly said as she tries to calm her lover. "Tch. You guys really need me … huh? We have a clear advantage. Eighth's diary, the Server Diary. Though it's completely random, we could get a good amount of diaries that can turn this situation around." I stated. Before I could even continue, a familiar face suddenly showed up. "Minene!" The young detective said as he called out our ally's attention. "Oh. Time to strike back, I guess." I muttered as Nishijima approached us.

"How are you guys holding up?" Nishijima asked as he brings out a set of papers that were rolled up. "Can't you tell? It's a freaking warzone here. Wait. What's that?" Minene asked as the detective approached me. "I … recovered this from Hiriyama, Kazuto's office. I think you should use it." Nishijima said as I looked at him curiously. "You do know that you're helping a bunch fugitives and terrorists, right?" I asked him. "I know. I don't … really care since I made a promise with Minene after all. After this game is done, I'll marry her and she'll turn her back from being a terrorist." He replied with a light chuckle. "O-Oy! Why are you telling everyone that! S-Stop!" Minene frantically said as she grabbed onto Nishijima.

As the two began quarrelling like love birds, I unrolled the papers. "Heh. You really went out with a bang, huh, aniki?" I said as I found myself faintly smiling. "What's that?" Marco asked as he approached me. "Floor plans of the Quad Towers, the mayor's headquarters." I replied as I handed him the documents. "The mayor is staying there at the moment. I can provide back-up when you're planning to siege it." Nishijima remarked as he broke free from Minene's grasp.

"Marco, gather everyone and bring them here. Prepare every weapon that we have." I said as he hands me back the documents. He simply grunted and followed my order while Ai followed him closely. "Nee-sama. How many bombs do you still have?" I asked Minene as I placed the documents on top of a nearby table. "I still have plenty of C2. I think it's enough for our operation." Minene replied. "Good. I'll tell you where to place it. Once our meeting is over, I need you and Nishijima-san to scout the area." I said as Yuno sat down beside me. "Hmph. Seeing you like this is making me smile. It's like I'm looking at your brother right now." Minene commented with a chuckle. I look like … aniki, huh?

I guess it's time to tip the scales, huh, Eleventh?

Our counterattack starts now.


	18. The Final Gamble

Three days passed ever since we began preparing for the final battle. Three complete days that were completely devoted on scouting our enemy's headquarters and acquiring weapons through back end deals. I kinda feel bad for using aniki's money, but I have to do what must be done. We acquired firearms, knives, some body armour, first-aid kits, and lastly, some grenades that we could use. The upcoming battle will be a huge siege in the Quad Towers. It's probably the last battle in this survival game. It's us, or Eleventh who will be dead after this siege. I can't say how many will die in both sides, but for the sake of my selfish wish, I'm planning to gamble everything on the line.

While the others were preparing our equipment for the upcoming siege, I was alone at the roofdeck of our ruined hideout. The night breeze passed by as I looked at the distance. "Tomorrow, huh …" I mumbled to myself. As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard the sound of footsteps closing in. Behind me was my purple-haired ally, who had a rather curious yet surprised look on her face. "The hell are you doing?" Minene asked as she took notice of the lit cigarette in my fingers. "I … kinda want to try this before I die or something. I'm rather … curious to find out what aniki could get when he smoked this thing," I replied as I took a hit in my lit cigarette. I let out a sudden cough as my lungs refused the smoke. "Ugh. Fuck. That's rough. It tastes bad too." I remarked as I heard Minene let out a faint sigh as she shakes her head.

"You're trying too much. To be like your brother, that is." Minene commented as she sat down beside me. "Am I? I'm his legacy, right? A failure of a legacy though." I said with a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure you have some of his planning-skills with you, so don't be too hard on yourself. He was pretty proud of you. One time, he told me that if he was in your position back then, he would've snapped and committed suicide since he can't bear that much of guilt." She stated as she curiously looked at me. "Hmph. You're praising me too much. What do you want? Money? Pft." I said with another chuckle. "Geez. You really are annoying you know." She remarked with a defeated sigh as I began laughing.

"Hey, Nee-sama. Do you think we could pull this off?" I asked her as I took another hit from my cigarette. This time around, I managed to puff the smoke out before I could even cough. "If we don't, I'm going to blow you up. Seriously." Minene replied with a grin on her face. "Well, you do have a marriage in waiting, so we can't lose tomorrow, yes?" I asked with a sarcastic tone in my voice. "W-What?! S-Shut up!" She embarrassingly shouted. Funny, I just find it funny how we could laugh like this at the moment. "Are you ready for it?" Minene asked as she stared into the vast cityscape. The stars were sparkling and caught my attention. "Yeah. I don't plan dying in his hands. At most, we have to lessen the casualty rate in our side." I replied as I looked up onto the sky.

Suddenly, we heard someone running towards us. With quick swat, the lit cigarette that I was holding was flicked and landed onto the concrete floor. "Pft. As expected." I muttered as I turned my back. Behind me was a panting Yuno, who had this rather displeased look on her face. "What the heck are you doing, Toshii?!" Yuno annoyingly asked as she suddenly began to pinch my cheek. "Ow! Ow! Not too much! Geez. I was just trying it out …" I replied as I tried to break free from her grip. "Even so! I don't like it!" She stated with annoyance in her voice. "Geez. Give me a break." I muttered as I let out sigh. "And I'll leave you two love birds alone. Get some rest. Don't waste time fucking around, will ya? Literally," Minene said as she stood up and waved us goodbye. "T-That doesn't concerns you!" Yuno said as Minene's figure exited through the fire exit.

"You're on edge, huh?" I muttered as I stretched my left arm. Due to this sling on my right arm, I can't move it quite well. Well, I have to wear this after all since my right arm is pretty much disabled right now. "H-Huh? What are you talking about, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she sat down beside me. "The final battle takes place tomorrow. Like it or not, I … don't plan killing anyone after that." I said as I felt Yuno rest her head on my shoulder. "Not really since I know you have a plan to … wait. What? How come, Toshii? How will you end the game? Ho-" "Our promise … still stands. I'm only here because of it. Well, that and also … I … love a certain girl after all." I said as I looked away. "Hm? Come on. Say it, Toshii. I wanna hear it." Yuno sweetly said as she nuzzled her head onto my shoulder. "G-Geez. Alright, alright. Uh. I … I love y-you." I said with a rather embarrassed tone. For a second, I noticed Yuno's eyes lit up. It's like hearing those words made her so happy, so excited. That's so like her. "I love you too, Toshii!" She said as she sweetly embraced me from the side. "I told you before, right? I'll free you from your suffering. After we kill Eleventh and his men, my only target left will be you. Does that sounds okay to you?" I asked her. "Yeah. It's kinda romantic." She replied.

"Hm? Is it me, or your hair is quite long now, Toshii?" Yuno remarked as she took notice of my bangs partly covering my remaining eye. "Huh? Now that you mentioned it, yeah. My hair was shorter when we first met. Guess I didn't notice it before, huh?" I said as Yuno began playing with my black bangs. "You want to get a trim? I'll do it for you!" She sweetly said as I felt her slender fingers. "After the battle, love. Wait. Do I look bad with my long hair?" I asked as the night breeze passed by us. "No. You look good with it! But, if you don't like it, well, we'll get it cut!" She cheerfully replied as she began caressed my cheek. "Hmm. It's not that I don't like it … it's just that I don't like how it obstructs my remaining vision. Alright. Give me a trim, alright?" I said as I held onto her hand sweetly. "Will do, Toshii!" She said with a smile and a giggle. Though the ache in my heart was a bit painful, I could still feel my heart flutter whenever we're like this. Pft.

To think that I would love someone this much, is kinda bizarre for me.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 13**

* * *

The dawn of the final battle arrives. At around 7 in the morning, most of us were already awake and were preparing our equipment. After a quick breakfast, I went back to our spot and got out my gear. All I have right now is my remaining hidden blade which is already armed into my left vambrace, and Arashi's revolver that Yuno picked up when they checked the sewers. Though it's quite heavy, it packs a lot of firepower. Heck, I still can't feel my right arm that well. I also have a body armour that I'll be wearing, and lastly, a black mask that aniki once prepared back when I was still working. It was made from a military-grade fabric and had this skull design with my first two facial scars on it. "Quite fitting for the finale, huh?" I muttered to myself as Yuno approached me. "Are you going to get changed now, Toshii? I'll help." Yuno asked with a smile. She was already wearing her black dress and her black boots. Her katana and her SMG were already at the ready too. "Yeah. Thanks, love." I said as I smiled back at her.

After changing into my battle attire, I noticed a silver-haired boy from a distance. As he was talking to Minene and Nishijima, we approached him. "Yo. Good to see you here." I said as I threw a tonfa towards him. "A pleasure to see you again, Toshiro-kun." Akise said with a smile as he effortlessly caught the tonfa. I could sense some hostility coming from Yuno, but she has self-control now due to my continuous scolding. "Anyway, time for the last briefing, huh? Since everyone's here." I said as I clapped my hands. I called everyone to huddle up. After a few moments, I found myself surrounded by the combatants in my side.

"Alright, listen up! In a few hours, we'll siege the Quad Towers, Eleventh's headquarters. Before I say anything else, I want everyone to know that we all have a death flag at the moment. Every single one of us," I shouted. "But, let's not get demoralized or scared of that. Like I said, we have that flag at this very moment, but we can change that! We can change the future and our fate with our own hands! If we don't do anything now, Eleventh will attack us and this time around, he'll kill us all. This is the day where we can finally have peace from this death game!" I shouted once more as I tried my best to boost everyone's morale. "As planned, I, Second, and the Sevenths will be leading the assault team. The four of us will attack two of the main entrances. Sevenths, bring at least half of our men and lay siege at the west entrance. I and Second will be enough to take down the east entrance." I said as I looked onto Ai and Marco. "Got it, boss." Marco said with a confident smirk on his face while Ai attentively nodded. "Eighth will be in charge of the support team. If anyone's wounded, your team will tend anyone injured, alright?" I said as I shifted my attention towards Ueshita. "Alright! You can count on me, First!" Ueshita eagerly said with a smile.

"Lastly, we have the demolition team. As expected, Ninth will be leading them. Give us one hell of an explosive show, alright, Nee-sama?" I said as I turn my attention towards Minene. "You got it." Minene said with a rather excited grin on her face. "Our first goal is to take down Eleventh. Today, either he dies, or all of us dies. Second, is to win this fight with a low casualty rate. If you're going down, at least bring 2 or 3 men along with you. If no one dies, then the better. You follow my orders, and I'll make sure everyone survives. All of us are connected through our headsets. During a scenario where Eleventh uses an EMP to destroy our communications, deploy smoke grenades and we'll meet up at the first floor of the central tower. Do I make myself clear?!" I shouted once more. The combatants let out a loud affirmative roar as my speech managed to hype them up.

After dismissing my allies, I and Akise went ahead towards one of our main entry points. Since the roads are closed down all thanks to Eleventh, we have to take the sewer route. This entrance is one of many that we'll use. I have a feeling that we'll encounter some resistance along the way. "I didn't expect that you could pull off the leader-type of speech, Toshiro-kun." Akise remarked with a smirk as he leaned his back against one of the rusty metal supports. "I'm quite surprised myself. Anyway, here. You'll support Nee-sama with this." I said as I handed him a long, black briefcase. "Ack. What is this? It's heavy." He said as the sudden weight of the briefcase surprised him. After he places the case down, he then opens it. He then finds a chrome-painted SVD sniper rifle. "That was my father's. It's kinda old, but can still pack a punch, hopefully. Once we managed to lure Eleventh out, I need you take out his guards." I said as I began counting my ammunition. "His guards? Why not him? Ah. Nevermind. Personal grudge, huh?" He said with a smile as he inspect the rifle.

"You know, I cheated unwillingly." I muttered as I kept a close eye on the sewer's entrance. "Hm? What do you mean by that?" Akise asked as he closes the briefcase and approached me. "Amano is gonna wake up anytime soon, huh? I … his memories … it started to mesh with mine," I replied as he stood beside me. "No, it's more of, my memories are getting erased and replaced by his. It's like very my existence is slowly fading away." I stated as let out a weary sigh. "I … I'm sorry. You're right. He's getting closer to waking up. When that ha-" "I'll be there. Anyway, like I said, I cheated. I know about Eleventh's diary. The Watcher, right?" I muttered as I cut him off mid-sentence. "Y-Yeah. The ability to peek into other diaries and check their contents. How do you plan on beating him?" He asked.

"By losing," I said with a confident smirk on my face. "In Amano's memories, I watched Eleventh lose twice due to being complacent. He's too overconfident of his diary. Since he could peek into my diary, he'd be confident enough to let us siege his headquarters since it's going to be a fruitless attack from us after all." I said as I took out the revolver from its holster. With one swift motion, I took out 4 of its bullets and left one in its chambers. "Do you really intend to lose? Knowing you, you're such a sore loser." Akise asked. "No. Not really. I just have to wait for the right moment. Anyway, want to test your luck?" I replied as I gave the revolver's chamber a twirl. I then pulled its hammer and aimed it onto my temple. "I-I rather not." He said with a rather confused expression on his face. "Heh. I see." I muttered.

 **BANG!**

Sensing the bullet inside the primary chamber, I suddenly aimed the barrel away at the last second. The sound of the gunshot echoing throughout the abandoned factory filled through my ears. "As expected. Lady Death favours me for this fight. Seems like I have to give her a show," I remarked with an excited smirk on my face. "Anyway, Akise. Last question, if I may." I said as I holstered the revolver back. "Go ahead." Akise said. "What happens to me after Amano wakes up? Do I … just disappear? I'm aware that I'm fabricated being, after all. My soul … if I have one, is not similar to yours, to Yuno, or to Amano. So, what will happen to Nohiru, Toshiro?" I asked. For a while, he hesitated from answering my question. "I … I'm not sure. I haven't asked Deus about that." He said as I noticed a slight tone of hesitation from him. I'm pretty sure he knows, but what am I doing? I'm going to find out soon enough, so why even bother hound him till he gives me an answer? "You know what, forget it. This isn't something to be talked about prior a final battle." I stated with a sigh. Alright, time to do this then.

As I slowly pull down my black mask, my thirst of blood slowly took over my thinking.

* * *

After a long walk, I slowly exited out from the manhole in an alley near the Quad Towers. I find it odd enough that we didn't encounter any resistance along the way. As I helped Yuno get out from the manhole, I could hear the buzz in my headset. I pressed on the button for the receiver on my ear to answer the call. "Status?" I asked as Yuno kept an eye around our vicinity. Odd. It's too fucking quiet. "We're assembled here in front of the west entrance. There's a barricade here full of SAT with riot shields. I'd really appreciate an advice or two right now." Marco said. "Hm. Coordinate with Ninth. There's a shit ton of explosives at the area. Use my diary to the fullest." I said as I took a peek at the east entrance. Just like in the west entrance, it's full with SAT members, armed with riot shields and full kevlar gear. Our grenades aren't enough to pierce a hole in that shield formation. We need to get-up close and personal.

"Negate any situation that's going to pop up in my diary. Use your brains. Over and out." I said as I end the call. "Toshii, what's our plan?" Yuno asked as she approached me from behind. "Smoke grenades and flash bangs. Up close and personal." I replied as I placed down our small bag of supplies. Yuno happily nodded and took out some grenades. "Shall we dance, love?" I said as I brandish out my left blade.

 **BOOM!**

As the first flash bang detonated, I sprinted out from our cover. The flash managed to stun a good number of SAT members while the ones who were unaffected began shooting me from afar. With my mouth, I took out the pin of the smoke grenade and threw it towards them. I could hear them shouting orders as they try to counter my charge. "Yuno! Next one!" I shouted as I was a few metres away from them. Yuno, who sprinting behind me, threw one in my direction. I closed my eyes and dove in towards them.

 **BOOM!**

As the second flash detonated, I somehow managed to tackle one of them down. Before the others even could react, I quickly dispatched a good number of them with my blade. My eye was wide open as their blood began to stain my clothes. "First line of defense is down! I repeat, Thanatos has breached thr-" Before the guy could even finish his words, a swift motion from Yuno sent his head flying. Some of them tried to shoot, but we quickly took care of them. In a matter of seconds, we wiped out the first line of SAT. As the next wave came rushing out from the entrance, I sprang up a nearby shield and we took cover behind it. "Nee-sama. Do you hear me?" I said as I pressed onto the receiver. "Loud and clear. I can see you guys from here." Minene said as Yuno began to shoot the SAT with her SMG. "Clear a path for me, will you?" I said as I pulled out Arashi's revolver from its holster. "Tsh. Got it." She said with an excited tone.

 **BOOM!**

Another explosion occurred, and the east entrance was filled with stragglers and corpses. "Keep up with me." I said as I gave Yuno a nod. We quickly sprang out from our cover and charged in. I used the riot shield to block some of the bullets from our assailants while Yuno followed me closely. I bashed one of the stragglers and as he falls down, I pulled out Arashi's revolver. With five quick shots, five stragglers fell flat onto the floor with their heads busted wide open. "All clear, Toshii!" Yuno said as I noticed that she took out a huge number of stragglers. "Not bad. Anyway, Sevenths, the east entrance is breached. We're heading to your position." I said as I pressed onto the receiver once more. "T-That quick? Alright. We need some help in our position! We can't keep this up much longer!" Marco replied through his receiver. "Got it. Don't push too much. We'll be there in a few minutes." I said as I end the call.

We sprinted towards the west building with ease. There were some men who tried to attack us, but we quickly thwarted their efforts. We only sustained some grazes and bruises from our side of the siege, so I could say things are pretty okay at our end. "Have you disinfected those wounds of yours? We can't have you die from an infection, love." I asked Yuno as she followed me closely through the hallway. "Already did! Don't worry about me, Toshii! Ah! I can see the end of the hallway from here!" Yuno replied with a rather excited smile on her face.

 **BANG! BANG! BRRRRRT!**

As we exited the hallway, a sudden hail of bullets surprised us. I quickly pushed Yuno back in the hallway and dodged to my right. I felt a bullet penetrating through my right leg as I feel down onto the floor. "Toshii!" Yuno frantically shouted as I quickly rolled myself towards a concrete pillar. "Stay put! I'm fine!" I shouted as I quickly checked my gun-shot wound. The bullet seemed to fully penetrated through my leg, but it didn't passed through any vital spots nor bone. Before I could even tend to my wound, a sudden spray of bullets hammered my cover. I quickly pulled back and pushed myself against the pillar. As our assailants reloaded their weapons, I quickly took a peek at their position. I saw 6 me-, no scratch that. There's 3 men on each side of the floor above us. 6 men are closing in my position and 4 positioned themselves by the staircase and elevator. They don't look like SAT members, so I have a hunch feeling that Eleventh hired a mercenary group to protect him. Tch. Seems like we arrived at the tower's core and we're welcomed warmly by his men. Pretty touching, if you ask me.

Without hesitation, I quickly pulled out my remaining smoke grenade and threw it towards the open lobby. As the smoke slowly covered us from the mercenaries up top, Yuno quickly dashed from her cover towards mine. "T-Toshii! Your w-" "There's no time. Listen to me. Go to the Sevenths. Help them out and check the number of the wounded and the casualty rate of the orphans." I ordered her as I pulled out the revolver and began reloading it. "You can't possibly take them alone, Toshii!" Yuno frantically remarked as she ready her sub-machine gun. "Heh. Are you underestimating me, Ms. Gasai? Follow my orders, will you? If you have some smoke grenades, leave some for me." I said as I flicked a finger onto her forehead. "T-Toshii …" She muttered as I notice her lips trembling. "Don't worry. Do what I told you, and I'll give you a reward later, alright? Go! Now!" I shouted as I heard the sound of footsteps getting nearer. I quickly sprang out from cover and aimed the revolver at the direction of the footsteps. I pulled the trigger, but the sound of the bullet hitting a nearby wall annoyed me. Yuno, sensing my rather annoyed and agitated state, simply complied and left two of her smoke grenades. "Don't die. Please." She said as gave me a kiss on my cheek and ran off towards the hallway that was connecting to the west wing.

As Yuno ran off, I took a deep breath and adjusted my mask. "Can't breathe in this damn thing." I commented with some annoyance in my voice. I pulled the revolver's hammer, and steeled myself. Armed with Arashi's revolver and my remaining hidden blade, I charged towards the smoke.

* * *

 _In the perspective of a one-eyed terrorist,_

"How are they doing? I can't see them from here." Nishijima asked as he stood beside me. The three of us, this silver haired boy included, were holed up in a nearby rooftop. From here, we could see a good view of the siege. I kept on tinkering with my detonator as I kept a close eye on the west entrance. "Seventh's team is struggling. I can't use the bombs in the west entrance just yet. If I do detonate it, it's going to be really inefficient." I replied as the sound of gunshots and screams echoed throughout the sky. The east entrance was completely obliterated. To think those two managed to charge in without any problems.

"Toshiro-kun is really something, huh?" Akise commented as he continued to scope out the battlefield with his sniper rifle. "He's a freaking monster. How the hell is Eleventh going to counterattack now?" I said with a smirk. "Um. Am I the only one feeling a tad bit nervous right now?" Nishijima asked with a rather uneasy tone. "Oh, come on. Have faith in me, will ya? I'm gonna smack you if you keep whining." I annoyingly remarked as I gave him an annoyed glare. "Uh-huh. Don't disturb an one-eyed terrorist while she's working …" He muttered as he scratched his head. Somehow, our playful banter is making us feel at ease. We can't feel any tension at all since everything is going just as planned. The only wild card that could alter the ending is actually our monster of a leader.

I've been with those three for a couple of months now. Before Toshiro lost his brother, he was cunning and smart in his actions. He wouldn't do anything without thinking of the succeeding action. Heck, that's why he managed to defeat me in the first place. He was someone you wouldn't want to tangle with. Now, he became somewhat desperate. Yeah, making up an entire plan where we could live at the end of this death game is already something, but his actions are too far reckless. He also developed this impulsive nature where he'd go do something without thinking too much.

 _Ninth! I'm nearing the exit! Ready the bombs!_

The voice of the wife of the reaper crackled through our receivers. "Got it. Give them hell!" I shouted with a smirk on my face. I brushed off the slight anxiety that I felt while I was thinking about that guy and readied the detonator.

* * *

 _In the perspective of the young pink-haired woman,_

 **BOOOM!**

The nearby explosive detonated. The west entry point was filled with debris and smoke. Eleventh's men were dying, completely distraught and confused. At midst of the confusion, I strike. I quickly sliced down three men with my katana. "W-What?! Where the hell did she came from?!" One of them shouted out as they tried their best to stop me in my track. Before they could even defend themselves, the combined assault of Sevenths and mine were too much. Soon, the siege of the west entrance came to a conclusion. The defenders stopped from coming, and the bodies of their comrades were littered everywhere. The smell of blood and gunpowder filled the air, but at this point, I already grew accustomed to it.

"Took you a while, but thanks for the assist, Second." The male Seventh said as the two of them approached me. He was bandaging up the wound on his left arm which he got when a bullet grazed him. "Don't thank me. Thank Toshii, who ordered me to go here," I coldly said as I brushed off his words. "Anyway, Toshii wants your people's status. How many are wounded, and how many died during the initial assault?" I asked as I took out my black receiver. "At least 25 of them are wounded, but only 3 of them died. I could say we're doing pretty okay. Kamado-san is tending to the wounded right now." The female Seventh replied. "Hm. Bring them in here. They're too open outside," I ordered.

"Toshii, we finished up the assault here. We have minimal casualty rate, so everything's going fine. We'll be there soon," I said to the receiver. For a few moments, there was nothing but crackles and static. "Toshii? Toshii, are you there?" I said once more to the receiver. Something feels off. Normally, Toshii would quickly respond to my words. I suddenly felt anxious and completely nervous. I then remembered that Toshii gave the male Seventh his diary. "Seventh! Give me Toshii's diary!" I said as I frantically approached them. "Huh? Su-"

Before he could even finish talking, I swiped away Toshii's black smartphone away. I frantically check the recent entries.

 **July 16 – 9:23am [Middle Wing, Quad Tower]  
** Nohiru, Toshiro  
-He fought recklessly against Eleventh's men. At the end, he was rendered unable to fight. He was executed in front of Second and the Sevenths.  
 **DEAD END**

My eyes were left wide open. I can't … allow this! This is the final one, and Toshii's going home with me! I'm not letting him die here! I sprinted back to the hallway that was connecting to the building's core. I could hear the Seventh's calling out my name as I suddenly left them. "Hang on, Toshii! I'll save you!" I shouted as I felt my hands shaking in fear. There's no way he'll lose. The entry was false. That can't happen! It can never-

I reached the middle wing once again. The hall was littered with the dead bodies of the mercenaries. Toshii managed to kill his attackers earlier, but where is he? There's still time. I have to find him quick. I heard footsteps running towards me from behind. With a glance, I could see the silhouette of the Sevenths and some of their men running towards me. As I shift back my eyes towards the elevators, I felt my knees unbuckle. I fell down onto my knees as the sight of Toshii being held by Eleventh's men, completely defenseless, filled my eyes. Eleventh began clapping as the Sevenths entered the stage. "Welcome, welcome! You guys fought well. Too well, to be precise." Eleventh stated with a confident smile on his face. "S-Shit. This can't be. We're … fucked." The male Seventh muttered with fear in his voice.

"Let go of him!" I frantically shouted as I tried my best to muster enough strength to stand up once more. "Ahh, Second. I heard that my men saw the wife of the reaper rampaging through their ranks. I see that they weren't joking around. To think a young girl like you managed to do that. Quite remarkable, but not the ideal trait that I'm looking for," Eleventh stated as he approached Toshii. He pulls his hair back, and reveals the beaten down face of the man that I love. "See, this young man showed the primal strength of a dying individual. I found him quite fascinating. He was entertaining to watch. No matter what I throw, no matter how deep is he in his pit of despair, he always found a way to crawl back out." He said as he lets go of Toshii's hair.

"Now. To end this. Lay down your arms. Try to do something rash, and well, you know what will happen." Eleventh said as he pulled out Arashi's revolver and aimed it against Toshii's temple. I felt completely powerless as I heard his orders. I wanted to fight back. I wanted to save Toshii, but … I can't do anything. We're surrounded, and Toshii's at his mercy.

The sound of my katana dropping onto the ceramic floor echoed throughout the hall. "Second! What are you doing?! We ca-" "Drop it. Please." I pleaded as I looked at them. The male Seventh angrily clenched his teeth and dropped his weapon. His lover and the other orphans soon followed his action. "Good, good. I see that we could come to terms. Next, your diaries." Eleventh ordered. I took out Toshii's diary and my diary and placed it onto the floor. The Sevenths also placed theirs and waited for Eleventh's next order. "And next, the finale. I'll deal with Eighth and Ninth later. For now, the throne of God awaits me." Eleventh said as he waved his hand. With that wave, his men aimed their weapons at us. He cocks back the revolver's hammer.

It's over …

 ** _HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!_**

* * *

 _In the perspective of the one-eyed reaper,_

My sudden outburst caught Eleventh surprised. He halts his men from firing, and looked at me. "You … really think you've won, huh?" I muttered as my laughter slowly died out. "I see you're still conscious. But, that won-" Before he could finish talking, I quickly pulled my arms away from my captors. Surprised as they were, I quickly took care of the two with my bare hands. As their attention was turned towards me, I took off my jacket and pulled down my damaged kevlar vest. Eleventh's eyes were left wide open as the sight of a bomb attached to my body startled him.

 **BOOM!**

A nearby explosion startled everyone. Everyone thought I was the one who exploded. Even Yuno had tears in her eyes after that recent explosion. Behind me was a black smoke that came from the recent explosion. "W-What was that?!" Eleventh blurted out in confusion as his men covered him. "Ahh. Can't you hear it? I sure do;" I said with a smirk. "The sound of your citizens screaming, shouting for help as they burn to the ground." I stated as I threw my arm sling away. "Was that enough? Should I use the other one?" Minene asked through the comms. I simply replied that she should ready it as soon as possible.

"A last-ditch bomb. You should thank Ninth for this." I muttered with a smile as I bring out a detonator. "T-Toshii! What's that?!" Yuno shouted from a distance. I ignored her and continued to look at our enemies. "Tch. What can that do, huh?" Eleventh asked with annoyance in his voice. "I'll bring you with me, but I have a better proposition for you." I replied as I snapped my fingers.

 **BANG! BANG!**

The sudden shots left Eleventh's men startled. Two of them were quickly killed by the silver-haired boy who was sniping from a distance. Before they could even move, I raised my hand which was holding the detonator. "To our beloved mayor, I have a single question. Do you value your live more than to your citizens'?" I asked as his men began panicking. "Y-You. What are you planning?!" Eleventh angrily asked. "Nothing really. I just think that it's high time to play my ace. So, what's your answer?" I replied. "You … I will not let you do what you wan-"

 **BOOM!**

Again, another explosion was heard from a distance. "No. That wasn't the answer that I was looking for." I muttered as I threw the detonator towards him. As the black device was in mid-air, I quickly flicked my left wrist. As the lone blade sprung out, I pushed downwards as hard as I can so that I could get a boost towards him. Seeing me rushing in, some of his men tried to stop me but Akise took care of them. Eleventh lets out a painful groan as my blade pierced his shoulder. He kicked me away and retreated backwards with his remaining men. "Two of you! Come with me! We're retreating! Hold them off!" Eleventh angrily shouted as he enters the elevator with two mercenaries.

As I felt my wounds and fatigue slowly kicking in, one of the men managed to knock me down onto the floor. He pinned my right arm down and aimed his pistol onto my temple. Before he could even pull the trigger, his head was sent flying. His blood spewed out onto me as I pushed his convulsing body away. "Toshii! Are you alright?!" Yuno asked with a worried tone as she helped me stand up. "Heh. Always in the nick of time. Yeah. I'll be fine." I replied as our allies took care of the remaining mercenaries. Within a few moments, the fight was over. There was no casualties in our side in the last clash. I took off the false bomb that I attached onto my chest. It actually worked. It managed to catch Eleventh off-guard. Everything wen-

 **SMACK!**

A sudden right haymaker landed on my cheek. The impact was enough to make me fall onto my knee. "You! What the hell did you do?! Those people were innocent!" Marco furiously shouted as Yuno brandished her katana against our allies. "It was our trump card. I used Eleventh's position against him." I replied as I grabbed onto Yuno's wrist, signalling her to lower her weapon. Knowing them, they wouldn't want to bring any harm to the civilians, hence I had to prepare that plan with Ninth. Marco tried to grab me by my collar, but his lover stops him. "Mar! This isn't the time!" Ai shouted as she grabbed onto Marco's arm, stopping him from grabbing me.

As Ai stopped her lover from interrogating me even further, I sluggishly stood up and went towards the elevator. "I'll finish the job. You guys scatter." I stated as Yuno followed me closely. Though completely agitated with my actions, Marco had no option but to stand down and fall back with his people. As they began running out to our escape route, Yuno then hands me a parachute. "Plan B, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she helped me put it on. "Yeah. Since Eleventh's going up, we have to take him down there. In a few minutes, our escape route will be sealed. We have to escape by the sky." I replied as I entered the elevator with her. With a press of a button, the doors closed.

"You never told me about our trump card." Yuno muttered as she wiped away the blood on her katana. "Eleventh has his diary. If I were to inform you, then he'll have a counter-measure against it. I resorted into tricking you, making sure your diary wouldn't be able to pick up anything while me and Ninth were preparing." I replied with a rather calm tone. "Ahh. I … see." Yuno muttered as I noticed her glancing at me. I let out a groan as I felt my body starting to ache and throb all over. Though I feigned my defeat earlier, it wasn't easy fooling those mercenaries. My kevlar was completely damaged from their assault. Though it managed to hold back the bullets from penetrating my body, the impact is enough to damage my internal organs.

 **TING!**

"It's time. Let's end this." I said as I brandished my remaining hidden blade. "Following your lead, Toshii!" Yuno said with a smile. As the doors opened, we sprinted out towards the helicopter pad. As planned, Akise took out the pilot with his rifle. As Eleventh was desperately trying to remove the dead pilot from his seat, we entered the fray. His men welcomed us with a hail of bullets. Yuno was quick enough to dodge and close the gap between her and our attackers. On the other hand, a bullet landed on my vambrace, thus destroying its mechanism. With one swift slash, one of Eleventh's men lost his two arms. As he fell to his knees screaming in pain, Yuno sliced downwards. Her eyes widen as she noticed her blade got stuck onto the guy's skull. Seeing this opportunity, the remaining mercenary aimed at her.

 **BANG! BANG! BANG!**

The bullets landed squarely onto the helicopter's hull. As he pulled the trigger, I grabbed onto his barrel and aimed it towards the helicopter. I heard Eleventh groan in pain as a bullet grazed his arm. "No man lives after aiming at the reaper's wife." I coldly stated I grabbed onto his jaw and slammed him against the helicopter. The man screamed in fear and tried to pull the trigger at me, but I used my right hand to block the trigger. Hearing Yuno's footsteps coming closer, I ducked down. Her katana cleanly lopped the remaining mercenary's head off. As his body slowly slumped down onto the floor, I turn my attention towards Eleventh.

The wounded man couldn't stop me from dragging him out of the chopper. I threw him towards a nearby wall. The man groaned and tried to stand up, but was struck down with a strong straight. "Y-You … monster … You dare stop me from helping mankind to reach its perfection?!" Eleventh angrily shouted, trying to buy time as much as possible. He knew reinforcements were coming, and was convinced enough that he can buy enough time for them. Again, another punch landed squarely onto his mouth. He spat out some of his teeth as I grabbed him by his temple. "Mankind? Do I look I give a single damn about that concept? You're pathetic," I said as I slammed him against the wall. "You killed my father and brother. You orchestrated the death of my mother. Normally, I wouldn't let emotions get the best of me, but this time, it's fucking personal." I whispered as a sudden rage consumed me. Before I lost myself in my rage, a sudden image popped out in my mind. Though it was blurry, I understood it.

It was my wish, should I say, my former wish back when I was young. In the image was father, who had his hands on my mother's hip while my mother held me in her arms. Aniki was behind them, smiling. A picture that will never happen.

A wish that will never come true.

* * *

 _Toshii! Toshii!_

My hand was aching. My vision was blurry. Am I looking at the floor? It's completely red, lathered with blood. I could feel something soft holding onto my cheek. With her soft hands on my cheek, Yuno tries her best to snap me out of my trance. "It's over. We don't have much time!" Yuno said as I turn my attention towards her. In the corner of my eye I saw a figure of a man, slouched onto the nearby wall. His face … was unrecognizable. It was completely disfigured, probably from the continuous punches that I threw towards him. He wasn't breathing. I see. I killed him with my fists. As I took a peek on my left hand, I realized that the skin on my knuckles were torn off. I could see the muscle popping out.

Sensing urgency, Yuno pulled me up onto feet. "I know it hurts, but we have to go. Now!" Yuno said as she brought me towards the building's edge. "A-Ah. Right." I muttered. Though my body and mind were completely drained out, I mustered enough focus to shrug off the pain. The final act was over, and it was time for the epilogue. It was time for my last act. Yuno went on ahead and jumped. I watched her as she opened her parachute and glided towards a nearby building, where Ninth and Akise were waiting. I swallowed some of my spit and ran towards the edge.

As I jumped out, I felt something, or should I say, something began to crumble.

And thus, the last days of my life begins.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 12**

* * *

 **SIDENOTES:**

 **Hi guys! UnseenMemory here! It's been a while! Sorry for the delay. Work got me occupied for the past 6 months. I had little time for myself thus the delay of a new chapter. Also, I've been working on a Re:Zero+Fate/Stay crossover concept, so I couldn't continuously finish out this chapter. Anyway, we're a few chapters away from the ending! Kinda bizarre to me since the original Existence was quite longer than this, but things turned out differently, right? So yeah, I'll do my best to publish the next chapter within the next six months (lol. Don't worry. I'll publish it within 2-3 weeks if I could just stop playing Witcher 3 in my free time.) I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	19. What's Left After

Almost a week has passed after the final battle. The city was left in an uproar after the death of the mayor. His killer, a young known assassin, disappeared into the shadows. The police didn't know where he went. There wasn't any trace. Only a few actually saw him, and those men were all killed in the siege. It was something so unreal. To think a near broken boy managed to come up with a plan such as that and pull through, makes it so unbelievable.

The thing is, the reaper is human, and a human has his limits.

With a grocery bag in my hand, I arrived in front of a very familiar door. It's been a while since I went here. To think that some time ago, I lived here. Quite nostalgic, but this isn't the time for that. I knocked at the door and waited for a response. After a while, I heard the lock of the door click. The door slowly opened and a woman peeked outside. "Hey. Brought you guys something." I said as I showed her the plastic bag on my hand. "Ah! Come in! Come in!" The woman said with a rather upbeat tone.

As I entered the shabby-looking office, I saw the orphans sitting on one corner while their "mother" and one of their seniors were tending to their supplies. "How are things outside?" Ai, the former female Seventh, asked. After the final battle, all of the remaining participants conceded to the reaper. As promised, we all gave him our diaries. In return, he said he'll "protect" us and we could live a peaceful life before he ends the game. Though, at this moment, I think he needs more protection than we do.

"Still the same. Cops are everywhere, the citizens are still in terror, and the city is still in shambles. It's something you don't wanna see." I replied as I sat down on the sofa. "Ah. The explosive lady is here." Marco, the former male Seventh, said as he approached me with the same cocky grin on his face. "Brought you guys some supplies. Looks like you really need it." I said as Ai began unwrapping the groceries. "Yeah. Tough times, but we're managing. Heck, we're in a better scenario compared a week ago, so I can't really complain." Marco replied. Yeah, a week ago we were hiding in an abandoned building with the uncertainty that we might get killed the very next day. At least now, we have some assurance that we could live peacefully for a while.

"I really need to repay that guy of mine …" I muttered as I let out a sigh. Nishijima, my sudden-fiancé, is doing his best to mask our tracks. He made sure that there wasn't any evidence left that could lead the police to us. Heck, he's working his butt off 24/7. At this point, I really don't know how to repay him. First was Kazuto, now Nishijima? Why am I getting in debt to these people? "He's doing a great job, isn't he? Nothing that I like more than a man with passion." Marco commented with a grin. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Whatever you say." I replied as I brushed off his comment.

"Ninth-san. Glad to see you're well," Ueshita, the former Eighth, said with a smile. As always, she has this motherly presence, a presence that could make you feel at ease. I simply nodded and gave her a faint smile. "Any news from First? We haven't heard from ever since he let us stay here." She asked as Marco switched with Ai and began fixing and categorizing their supplies. "He … He's doing fine." I replied.

That was a lie.

"Ah. Good to know! Tell him to drop by soon! I still promised him a meal or two." Ueshita said with a motherly smile on her face. "Besides, Mar wanted to apologize since … you know." Ai remarked as she looked back to her lover. As far as I could remember, Marco was furious that the reaper used the lives of the innocent to drop Eleventh's guard. Despicable, but fully knowing our scenario before, that was the best option that we had. "Tch. I'm not going to apologize. He's a demon. If Ueshita-san or Ai isn't stopping me from killing him, I would h-" "You know you're not capable of doing that, Mar." Ai said as she looked at her lover with a rather displeased look on her face.

After a few minutes, I stood up and approached the dusty desk of my former benefactor. I noticed the orphans were either busy watching TV, cleaning or sleeping. "Hey, Ai. Did you move any files from this desk?" I asked as I began looking around. "Hm? Oh! I almost forgot." Ai responded. She suddenly pulled out a brown folder from a nearby file cabinet and handed it to me. "It has your name on it. I think you'd want to have it." She said with a faint smile. I thanked her and took a peek inside the file. She's right. She has my name on it. "Alright. I'll be going now." I said as I checked my watch. I still have some time before I need to meet up with that silver-haired kid. "Already? Why not stay for some tea?" Ueshita asked. "I have to pass on that one. I have an appointment. Well then, I'll see you guys around." I replied as I gave the three former combatants a nod before leaving.

After some walking, I arrived in the café near Sakurami Condominiums. The waitress escorted me towards a nearby vacant four-seater. After ordering a cup of coffee, the waitress went back to the entrance to accommodate their new customers. While I was staring blankly into oblivion, I faintly could remember the times that the four of us would have our dinner here. Kazuto would try to act cold and mature as he narrates some of his misadventures. His little brother would look like he's not interested but he would always listen and comment something at the end. Gasai would simply listen and tell some stories of her own, to be specific, her daily life with her lover. Her obsession is really unhealthy, but hey, that guy managed to tame her.

Feeling a bit bored, I took out the file and began to read it. As usual, Kazuto made sure his files were really descriptive. "Japanese. Her parents were killed during their vacation in the Middle East. Shortly became a terrorist to survive that harsh environment." I muttered. How the hell did he managed to dig those information about me? I know that I was a bit famous back then, but did he suddenly got interested when he saw my name in the news? He's really an oddball. "Highly unpredictable and always irritated …" I muttered. The hell? I'm not always irritated! That guy really had the nerve to put that in, huh?

"Her weapons match her personality. She has the same eyes as him. I might as well help her then."

Reading that made me feel a sudden ache in my heart. The hell is he? He's no fucking saint, so why did he chose to help me? Is it simply because that I had the eyes of someone who went through hell, who experienced a familiar sense of tragedy with his brother?

"Don't fuck with me …"

* * *

Three years ago …

Gunshots echoed throughout the night sky as a heated gunfight was happening by the Sakurami Cargo Docks. Men dressed in black were dropping dead one by one. The small group of Yakuza were getting hammered in by the police. Some of them began to think that they entered a trap, but unknown to them, their young leader had something else in his mind.

"Bro! What are we going to do?!" One of them shouted with distress in his voice. With his remaining men, their leader took shelter in a nearby office building. They were surrounded, and possibly had no escape routes. They were running out of ammunition, and their success rate was declining. "We can't survive this! We have to do something!" One of them shouted once more. The entire room was starting to fill with fear. The police were closing in, and they could feel their deaths creeping.

Their leader suddenly pulled out their remaining grenade. From the look on his face, he finally came up with a plan. "Alright. I have a plan," He said as his men listened closely. "You guys need to hold this position as long as you can. I'll contact Father and get us some reinforcements. Can you guys do that?" He asked as he readied his handgun. "Y-Yeah! I think we could, bro!" One of them replied. "Good. Don't go down without a fight! I'm going!" He shouted.

 **BOOM!**

As the grenade exploded, the young leader dashed towards the nearby window. He jumped out, and was quickly welcomed by three policemen. He quickly took care of the three with his gun and began running towards some freight containers. "Sorry, guys. I have something important to do." He muttered as he took a quick glance back at his men. Later, the men would come to realize that help is not coming. They fought hard, but in the end, they were killed. It began to rain as the young leader carefully walked around the containers, keeping a close eye in his environment. He was looking for someone, and if he fails, the death of his men would be in vain.

Sensing a sudden danger behind him, he quickly ducked. He heard the sound of a bullet denting a nearby container and quickly turned around. In front of him was the famous terrorist who came from the Middle East. She had him at gunpoint, and he has to react fast. He quickly pulled out two throwing knives from his back and flung it towards the woman. The woman dodged to her right and aimed her pistol at the young yakuza leader. Her movements took too much time, and she was completely open. Seeing the man charging right towards her, she retracts her arm and covered her face. The young leader grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him. She swung a wild back fist that landed squarely on the man's jaw, but the man withstood the impact. He swiftly disarmed her and slammed her against the nearby container.

"Feisty, aren't ya?" The young man whispered as held the terrorist against the container. "Fuck you!" She furiously shouted as she pulled out a detonator with her free hand. Reacting quickly, the man flung a closed fist towards her hand, disarming her from her last option. Sensing her looming demise, the terrorist tried her best to break free, but the young yakuza completely overpowered her. With one solid headbutt, she was knocked down, her entire body numbed from the man's attacks. As the man readies his pistol, the sound of footsteps grew closer. Though her vision was already blurry, the terrorist saw the man point the pistol behind him. As her consciousness fades away, the sound of gunshots and the rain crashing down onto the concrete pavement were last things she heard.

 _Your deaths weren't in vain, guys._

She slowly opened her eyes. The unfamiliar red-painted ceiling was the first thing she laid her eyes on. She slowly sat up and rubbed her temple. "Where the hell am I?" She muttered. She could vaguely remember the scuffle back in the docks. The man had the chance to kill her, but why is she still breathing then? "Did someone picked him off while I was down?" She asked herself. The faint smell of tobacco filled her nose. She turned her head towards the direction of the scent. Behind her was the man who knocked her out, busy smoking a cigarette and reading some files. She could see some traces of blood in his fur collar.

Without hesitation, she forced herself to stand up. She ran towards the wooden desk in front of him and grabbed the nearby pistol. She pulled the hammer and aimed at him. "Oh my. Seems like my guest woke up." The man said with a rather calm tone. He didn't look fazed as the terrorist aimed the gun at him. Was her killing intent not enough to scare him? "Why? Why didn't you finish me off?" She asked. "Pft. Straight to the point, hm? Your breakfast will get cold." He replied as he takes a puff from his cigarette. The terrorist took notice of the warm food by the coffee table. Though she was utterly confused and baffled, she continued to aim the pistol at the young yakuza.

"Answer me, damn it. Answer me or I'll blow your brains off." She ordered with an annoyed tone. The man simply puts down the file that he was holding and looked at her. She felt no killing intent coming from him. "Try it. I bet you can't." He said with a smirk.

 **CLICK!**

She pulled the trigger but the sound of a gun with no ammunition surprised her. "I'm not stupid enough to leave a loaded gun in front of a known terrorist, you know." He said as he stood up. He passed by her and went straight to a nearby cupboard. The terrorist kept an eye around, looking for any weapons she can use, but alas, there was none. "Don't even bother. I hid everything you could use against me. Well, you could try to kill me with a folder, if you're that desperate enough that is," The man said as he pulls out a mug and began making himself a cup of coffee. Feeling defeated, the terrorist could only watch her captor closely. "I'll answer your question if you sit down. Get your breakfast also. I don't want my effort in making that go to waste." He ordered as he went back to his seat.

Annoyed, the terrorist went back to the coffee table and picked up the prepared breakfast for her. "Don't worry. I didn't poison that or whatsoever. I don't want to kill a future client of mine, after all." He stated. "Client? What the hell are you talking about?" She asked. Before the man could even answer, the growl from the terrorist's stomach caught them by surprise. The terrorist tried her best not to look embarrassed as the man watched her from his seat. "See? Eat. Do I look that suspicious?" He remarked with a frown. Sensing no ill-intent from the man, she began eating. She was careful, and if she tasted something off, she decided to fight back. Yet, nothing came up. It was a normal warm breakfast.

"You need a drink? Here." The man said as he opened the mini-fridge under his desk and handed her a sealed bottle of water. She opened it and took a gulp. "Anyway, back to my question." The terrorist said as she places the bottle aside. "Uryuu, Minene. A well-known terrorist from the Middle East. A woman with Japanese descent." The man said as he began reading the file on top of his table aloud. "Heh. You did some background check on m-" "Her parents were killed during their vacation in the Middle East. Completely lost and no one to help her, the young girl had to adapt in her new harsh environment." The man said as he takes another puff from his cigarette. "H-How … the hell did you get that information?" She asked with a completely surprised tone in her voice. "I have my connections. Anyway, your question, why did I chose to spare you? Well, I'll be frank and honest with you." He replied.

"You have the same eyes with a certain kid. Last night, I made sure my assumption was correct. Sorry for attacking you. I simply defended myself." The young yakuza stated as he crossed his legs. "What? The hell are you talking about?" The terrorist asked. "I know that look in your eyes. You've seen hell, am I correct?" He replied. "What of it?" She asked once more. She hated the feeling of being pitied upon. She hated so much since it reminded her about her young fragile self. "Hmph. Nothing really. The kid that I'm talking about is going through that same experience right now. Truth to be told, I'm completely powerless to save him." He stated with a bitter expression on his face. "Then what a-"

 _I wish to give you a chance. A chance where you can try to live a normal life._

His response made her more confused. Why the hell is he extending a helping hand to a terrorist like her? What does he have to gain by helping her? "If I could help you, then maybe, just maybe, I could save that kid. Kinda selfish, right?" He said with a smile. "So I'm a test dummy? Your first trial-and-error?" She asked with annoyance in her voice. "Yeah. I … I'm tired seeing these files of people who went through a tragic past. It makes me want to puke. I'm no saint, but I decided to do something," He replied as he extends his open hand towards her. "If you would to cooperate with me, I'll make sure you'll protected. Heck, even the law can't trace you down. Just … don't do anything stupid." He said with a smile.

She had nothing to lose with this offer. Though she is a woman hardened by war and hardships, the chance of living a normal life was always at the back of her head. Well, I don't have anything to do right now in this country and working with this guy, is kinda interesting, she said to herself. She eventually decided to use the man's kindness, to take advantage of him. If he could provide the things she needs, she might as well take the opportunity and use him. "Alright. I'll agree on your terms … errr … I never got y-"

 _It's Mist. It's a codename, but you could call by my true name. Kazuto._

* * *

My first memories of him resurfaced. I never had the chance to grieve after the death of my former benefactor. I had to remain adamant for the sake of his younger brother. If I showed a small ounce of pain in my eye, the young reaper would've been a lost cause. He could never recover from his grief. Now the game finally came to an end, I could finally grieve for the man I admired and loved. I never saw him in a romantic manner, but he was a big brother to me. A big brother who would act stern and cold towards you but underneath that, he deeply cares for you and is willing to risk a limb for your safety.

I bowed my head as my tears began to come out. I … never had the opportunity to thank him, to say sorry for taking his efforts for granted. He gave me the chance and I ... simply threw it aside for my own selfish reasons. "I'm sorry … Kazuto … I'm sorry …" I muttered as my closed fist trembled. If he was alive right now, he would be laughing his ass off at the sight of me crying. "No way. You can actually cry?" He would say, but now, I'll never hear his voice ever again. We will never argue with each other, smile at our silly jokes, and scold the young reaper together ever again. I came to realize that even when the world was completely unfair and kept pushing me down, there was someone who's willing to help me stand up once more, and that person is now gone.

 _Crying in the open? That isn't like you, Ninth._

My breakdown was cut short when I heard a familiar voice. I wiped my tears away and looked in front of me. At the other side of the table was the silver haired boy who helped us during the siege. "You … "I muttered as I tried my best to stop my tears. "Sorry for interrupting, but you were crying for a while now. The customers were already looking at you, you know." Akise said as he gave me a smile. "Tch. Whatever. You know why I asked to see you here." I said. "Hm. About Toshiro-kun's condition, correct?" He asked as I began drinking my rather lukewarm coffee. "Yeah. I … haven't seen him ever since I saw him breakdown once more. I … couldn't bear it." I replied as I tried my best to keep my composure.

"He's doing … quite well. I visited them thrice last week. Gasai needed help setting up things in her place and Toshiro-kun … isn't in a condition to help her out. Even though she hated the idea of me helping, or should I say, intruding in their life, she had no choice to accept it since she had to take care of Toshiro-kun too." Akise stated as he takes a sip of water. "Really? Is that how is he do-" "No. To be honest, every single day, he's losing more of his sanity and memory. There was one time that I saw him lash out at Gasai. He … actually choked her. I had to sedate him or he would've killed Gasai." Akise said with a rather pained look in his eyes. "I-I see … now, how the hell is he going to formally finish this game in his current status? If what you're saying is true, he's unfit to even talk to Deus." I commented as I looked away. Hearing Akise's update is making my chest tighten up. I can't do anything to help him. He pushed too much, and now look what happened to him.

"He's not going to last any longer. He's waking up … after all." Akise muttered. Huh? He's waking up? "Who's waking up? Toshiro?" I asked with a confused tone. "N-No. It's nothing. I was just talking to myself." He replied as he tries to dodge the question. Annoyed, I slammed my fists against the table. "Tell me! I … want to help him! Tell me how could I help that ki-" "You can't. No one can. Even Gasai can't help him. He's done for." Akise stated as he tries his best to remain calm. "What the fuck are you talking about?! I won't allow him to go down like this! His brother … can't allow this to happen! He's … not yet done …" I muttered as the feeling of being powerless slowly took over me. "I'm sorry, Ninth. Even I don't like how it's going, but … we have no other choice." He said as he stood up.

"I'm leaving now. I have matters to attend. Don't … blame yourself for his condition. Please." Akise said as he began to walk out towards the door. Utterly confused and powerless, I felt my knees unbuckle. I stared blankly at the table as I could feel the stares of the other customers. "I can't help him …?" I muttered to myself. Why … am I trying so hard to come up with a way to help him? He chose this path, didn't he? Is it because I'm in debt to his brother? Is it because he's like a younger brother to me? My mind's a complete mess. I … don't know what to do anymore.

 _Hey, Kazuto … how am I going to help your brother?_

 **DAYS REMAINING: 5**

* * *

This is the diary of Nohiru, Toshiro  
A diary that I made on July 18.

 **JULY 18**  
I woke up crying, mentally exhausted.  
I tried to remember my dream, but I … can't remember a thing.  
My entire body was trembling, my mind was pulsating.  
I had a headache so painful that it felt my entire head was getting split into two.  
I woke up Yuno who was sleeping beside me.  
She gave me some pain relievers, but it didn't work.  
She was completely worried and was starting to panic.  
I asked her to give me some sleeping pills.  
I drank one, but it didn't work.  
She then saw me gulping three pills in one go.  
She screamed at me.

I woke up later, and I felt the same.  
Exhausted and sore all over.  
I can't still move my right arm that much since I kinda stressed it during the siege.  
Hope that I'll feel better in the afternoon.

Akise came by to help us set up in the Gasai residence.  
Yuno shooed him off, but I let him in since a helping hand wouldn't hurt.  
We hooked in the electricity and some potable water we could use.

After a rather tiring afternoon, I decided to take a nap in the living room.  
I woke up screaming, panting for air.  
Again, my headache was killing me.  
I began to see things that shouldn't be there.  
The faces of the dead surrounded me.

I closed my eye, but I slowly realized something.  
Every time I sleep, or with every passing day, my memories are slowly vanishing.  
I … can't even remember my past.  
I could vaguely remember the faces of my dead family.  
Am I … nearing my expiration date …?

 **NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO**

 **SOMEBODY STOP IT**

 **JULY 21**  
I haven't slept for days.  
I'm tired.  
 **tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired. tired.  
** Why can't this world let me sleep for a fucking second?  
Why can't I sleep without forgetting something?  
I hate it. I **fucking** hate it.

I lashed out at Yuno the other day.  
I tried to sleep since my body can't handle it anymore.  
I woke up screaming and clawing my temple.  
Yuno tried to stop me, but the sight of her triggered my rage even further.

 **IF I CAN'T HAVE HER, THEN NO ONE CAN**

 **NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE**

I almost choked her to death.  
Akise had to sedate me.  
I despised myself for that.  
I promised myself to never hurt her, but look what I did.

I am the worst.

I am a trash.

The voices are getting **LOUDER  
** Someone help

 **Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up**

 **JULY 23  
** yuno gave me pain relievers  
so many that I feel so high right now  
i can't feel any pain anymore  
he he he he he he he he

i finally managed to sleep  
i can't remember anything  
i don't need to remember anything

as long i have yuno, i'll be fine, right

 **right**

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes. The numbing pain in my head shook me. I slowly sat up, clutching onto my temple. I grabbed some pain relievers and chugged them. Slowly, the pulsating pain simmered down. As I began to ignore the pain, I looked around. I found myself in a tatami room. "Where … am I?" I asked myself. I slowly stood up. I could feel some pain in my bandaged right arm whenever I try to move it. Wait. Why is it bandaged up like this? I went out of the room and began walking around the outdoor hallway. After a while, I stumbled onto a pink-haired girl, who's busy drying some clothes in the garden. She was busy enough that she didn't notice me. Why ... does she look so familiar? Am I forgetting something? I was about to call her attention, but I hesitated. Nah, I should look around some more.

Eventually, I found myself in front of a shabby looking sliding door. The door was filled with planks nailed onto it. Curious, I opened the door. I entered the gloomy-looking room and began to snoop around. A weird looking wooden plank caught my attention. It was like it was on top of something. I took off the plank and lo and behold, there was a hole underneath it. I ignored the hole and stood up, but my sudden action caught my body by surprise. In short, I was clumsy and my foot fell onto the hole. As I tried to pull my foot out, I felt something inside. No, it wasn't something weird or what. It felt like it was a piece of cloth that was wrapping something. I pulled my foot out and checked the hole once again.

I found a folder wrapped by a piece of cloth inside the hole. Due to my curiosity reaching its peak, I opened the folder. Inside was a single piece of paper. There's something written on it. The handwriting is kinda messy, but it's readable.

 _Your name is Nohiru, Toshiro, 16 years old  
_ _You had a rough childhood, and recently you lost your father and brother  
_ _Your sanity is crumbling, and you're losing your memory_

"Nohiru, Toshiro …? This guy had it rough, huh."

 _I wrote this down and hoping that you'll find it  
And be reminded who we are and how much we went through  
_ _We don't have much **time** after all  
_ _You are a **non-existent being**  
_ _You were created to be a **proxy** for a god_

"A non-existent being? What the hell does that mean?"

 _The woman you love the most, is Gasai, Yuno  
_ _She's the pink-haired girl that you'll find there  
_ _You went through a shit-ton of hardships with her  
_ _She's the light in your darkness  
_ _She means the **world** to you_

"A pink-haired girl? That must be the girl that I saw earlier. Seems like the writer loves her so much."

 _Yet, you can **never** have her  
_ _No matter what you try, you can't have her  
_ _Yes, it's because you're a proxy, a proxy to her beloved god after all_

"Ooh. Rough."

 _By now, you would've lost probably a lot of memories  
_ _I bet that you couldn't even remember the previous events that happened  
_ _The whole survival game.  
_ _No matter, it doesn't matter anymore  
_ _I just want you to end it_

 _Near the hole, you'll find a cupboard  
_ _Inside it, there's a false wall. Pull it out  
_ _Behind the wall is a box filled with "diaries"  
_ _Take it and call Deus Ex Machina  
_ _Tell him to grant your wish_

 _You can forget everything else, but never forget your own wish_

"I ... want to be remembered."

 _You want to be remembered_

I made … this note? I'm Nohiru, Toshiro? Confusion began to set inside my mind. I … don't remember writing this down. I … don't remember anything. Why can't I remember? Why can't I …

Suddenly a few memories began to surge into my mind. Memories that I made recently. I fell onto my knees, clutching onto my head. My body quivered erratically as pain began to sink into my very core. My breathing became ragged. It felt like my lungs refused to take in the oxygen that I was breathing in. I clenched my teeth and forced myself to stand up. I forced my limbs to carry me away, but after a few steps I fell down and crashed at a nearby table. The sound of my body crashing onto the table was loud enough that it probably alerted Yuno.

In a matter of seconds, the pink-haired girl comes in. "Toshii? What's wrong?!" Yuno worryingly asked as she ran towards my side. The moment that I felt her soft fingertips touching my arm, the memory of me choking her entered my mind. I pushed her hand away and tried to move back, but my body refused to move even further. The feeling of my mind and body colliding with one another was splitting my entire being. "S-Stay … away. I-I might … hurt you again. Please. I d-don't want that." I muttered with my quivering voice. "What? No, it's fine, Toshii. Come. Let's get you back to bed." She said as she gave me soft reassuring smile. Due to my current condition, I couldn't break away from her. I simply let her take care of me while I endured the painful ache within my chest.

 **DAYS REMAINING: 2**


	20. Thanatos

**Heads up. This chapter contains the final lemon scene.**  
 **Also, to set the mood right, try listening to Wish of the Stars (Re:zero ost) during the first act, Echt of Sorrow (Re:Zero ost) during the lemon scene, This Illusion -Piano Ver.- (Fate/Stay) during the final act, and If I Can't Be Yours by Thanatos at the end.**

* * *

Night soon fell once more.

Throughout the afternoon I sat by the outdoor hallway, staring blankly by the garden while I do my best to unscramble what is remaining of my memories. I can't remember anything aside the memories that I made during the past days. I don't even remember what happened in the survival game. All I know is my time is almost up, and I have to finish this mess on my own terms.

As I listen to the chirping sounds of the crickets, I heard someone approaching from behind me. "There you are! I thought you were in our room." A familiar voice said. I slowly took a glance behind. It was none other than Gasai, Yuno, my so called "lover". At this point, can I still call her that? If he awakens, she'll fully forget about me, right? She fixes her skirt and sat down beside me. "You hungry? How are you feeling?" She asked with a sweet smile on her face. "My … head is a mess. The body pain is still there, but it's tolerable." I replied as I looked away. "Don't forget to drink some pain relievers after dinner, alright? Also, don't drink too much, okay?" She said as she rests her head on my shoulder.

"Y-Yuno. Can you … remind me, how we first met?" I asked. "Hm? You already forgot about it?" Yuno asked with a disappointed tone in her voice. "Sorry. My memories are … messed up right now. I'm thinking that, hearing our first memories, could probably do something to help me." I remarked with a weary tone. She gave me a rather suspicious look with a pout, but she giggles it off.

"Let's see. You remember our school, right?" Yuno asked as she held my left hand tenderly. I simply shook my head in reply. "Come on. It's Sakurami Middle School! Remember? The school which Ninth blew up?" She commented. "Ah. I see. Ninth, huh?" I muttered. I remember seeing a purple-haired lady a few days ago. Was that, Ninth? She blew up our school? Not that it matters anymore. "Anyways, we first met during our first year. It was nothing special really. It was … the first day of classes. At that time, I was still considered "normal" since I haven't killed my parents yet," She narrated as she softly nuzzled her pink hair against my cheek. Wait. She killed her parents? How the hell did I fall in love with a psycho like her? Perhaps … I was a psycho myself. "You … had a distinct appearance. You had facial scars, which is quite weird for a teenager to have one. You were too quiet and mysterious that eventually, everybody steered clear from you. There was rumours that you were a delinquent of some sorts." She commented with a giggle.

Scars, huh? Which one is she talking about? The one on the bridge of my nose, the one on the left portion of my jaw, the big one that probably took out my left eye, or the one on my right cheek? "With those kinds of rumours going around, how the hell did you fall in love with me? I mean, I could say that I was cold or harsh during that time, right?" I asked her. "Well, you came to me when I was at my lowest. I was … lost. All sense of hope was gone for me. I kept on asking myself, do I have a future? Do I have the right to dream? Then, you suddenly came up to me and told me that we could have a future together. Ever since that, I devoted myself in fulfilling that dream." Yuno replied with a relieved tone in her voice. "Besides, we partly fulfilled my dream, right? We got wed, though it was a mock-one!" She happily said as she raises both of our left hands. The silver rings on our left ring finger caught my attention.

I see. Since I'm a proxy of her beloved god, she loves me that way. A complete devoted love. Did I … felt the same way with her? Did I ever felt that kind of love when I looked at her before? Though I'm a complete mess at the moment, there's one thing for sure. My very soul is telling me that I love this girl, that she means more than this proxy world does. What a peculiar feeling. Am I really connected to this girl strongly? Is it because what I feel for her, or because of I'm simply the proxy of her lover?

"Toshii, do you still remember our promise?" Yuno asked as we both listened to the chirping of the crickets. As she muttered the word 'promise', I faintly heard my voice inside my head. Though it was heavily fragmented and was filled with static, I could still remember it somehow. "I will end your suffering before I end the game." I muttered. End her suffering, huh? Does that mean I'll have to kill her? Was that part of my plan? "Yeah. When … you choked me a few days before, I really thought that was it. I thought that you were going to fulfill your promise." She remarked with a soft voice. There's no way I would forget that feeling. The moment that my rough-palmed hand was tightly clenching her slender neck. I could feel a distinct feeling of disgust within myself. How the hell can I say that I love this girl when I couldn't stop myself at that moment? Pathetic. There's no excuses that I could say for that.

"I'm sorry. That's … not how I'm going to end this." I said with an apologetic tone in my voice. Yuno lets out a soft giggle and tightens her grasp on my hand. "It's alright, Toshii. I love you, and I devote my whole being to you. If you want a double suicide, then … I'll do it properly this time around. No more running away." She muttered as I felt a slight wetness on my yukata. I took a quick glance at her and noticed her tears. This time around? Did we try something like that before and failed? I … don't know. I let go of her hand to wipe away her tears. Seeing her like this is making my heart ache. Yes, it still hurts whenever I touch her, but seeing her like this, is making the pain worse.

Was a double suicide part of my plan? I … only got a gist of it. With this fragmented memories of mine and the note that I left before partly losing all of my sanity, I don't have anything to remind me of my plan. End the game … that's all what I have to do, right? After that, make the so called Deus Ex Machina to grant my wish. But, what happens after that? What will happen to this girl, to me? Will she simply be reunited with her beloved god?

The only way to find out is to finish this goddamn game.

We ate our dinner like a couple. Yuno would feed me at times since I could feel some sharp pain from my left hand. We giggled and laughed whenever she tries too hard on spoon-feeding me. Rather than to feel annoyed or what, I felt happy. Odd. If I fall asleep once more, if time doesn't stop, will this memory of our supper will fade away just like the others? The thought of that left a painful feeling inside of me. Why am I feeling like this? Aren't I supposed to be determined to finish this game already? I already went through hell, and here I am, ragged but standing near the end. I can't let these emotions, these reluctant feelings, hinder me even further.

Tonight, will be the last.

* * *

"So, did I manage to jog your memories, Toshii?" Yuno asked as she ready our futon. As I stood a few feet away from her, I suddenly remembered the current date. Today's July 25th. Two more days before Amano, Yukiteru wakes up. Though clouded heavily, I saw a fragmented memory within my head. It wasn't mine, and it was like, lost inside of me. July 27th, is their so called 'Happy End'. The day where Yuno and him became one. Oddly, that's the same day when Amano fully wakes up. Two more days before I disappear, huh?

As Yuno turns her head towards me, she took notice that I took off my yukata. I barred my naked and scarred body in front of her. I felt my chest tightening up as she slowly approached me. Why … do I feel like this? What is this feeling? Is this … lust? Love? Jealously? Why … do I want to hold her? Why do I want to hear her whisper my name? Why …? I … don't get it anymore. I'm too tired, exhausted to think deeply about this.

 _I simply wanted to hold her,_

"Toshii? Do you need to change your bandages?" Yuno asked as she began to touch my scars with her slender fingers. Her cheeks were red and I could see her lips quivering. "N-No. It's not that." I replied as I slowly placed my hand on top of hers. Though she was heavily blushing, she can't help but to giggle as she heard my response. "Why are you so shy, Toshii? Back then, you would even order me around, but now, you're so timid." She said with a soft giggle as she caressed my cheek. "S-Sorry. After what I've done to you, I didn't know how to bring this up." I remarked as I felt my entire being getting lost in her eyes.

 _To feel her love,_

"Don't be silly. I'll do anything for you. Anything that will make you happy." Yuno said as she places her hands on my cheeks. Why do I feel so satisfied whenever I hear those words from her? Do I really … love her that much? "Yuno …?" I muttered as I placed my left hand on her cheek. "Yes, Toshii …?" She whispered. Our eyes were interlocked with one another. The fleeting second that was passing by at that moment felt like an eternity. "I want you." I whispered. She gave me a soft smile as she slowly closed her hazy eyes. Our lips intertwined with one another. Have we done this multiple of times already? I don't know, but one thing's for certain. My love for her … I can no longer deny.

 _To feel a last warmth before I go._

Yuno laid down on top of the futon, bearing her naked body in front me. I gently went on top of her and began kissing her once again. Did her lips taste this good before? Somehow, I just can't get enough of this feeling. She gave my lips a gentle nibble as she wrapped her arms behind my head. She began to suck my tongue, while I try to caress her hips. "Are you okay? You want me on top first?" Yuno asked as she took notice of my bandaged right arm. "U-Uh, yeah. Kinda hard keeping my balance like this." I replied with an embarrassed chuckle. She simply giggled and gave me a soft kiss in my lips.

As I laid down, Yuno began to kiss my neck. I left out a soft groan as she began kissing and sucking the area near my collar bone. "A-Are you a bloodsucker or something?" I remarked as I felt my blood circulating on the area she kissed. "Perhaps. Perhaps I suck something else?" Yuno replied with a sheepishly smile on her face. "The hell is up with your humour." I commented with a sigh. After a moment of silence, we burst out laughing. After simmering down, I placed my hand on her cheek and slowly pulled her closer. I sat up and let her sit down on my lap as I began kissing and sucking her neck, just like what she did to me a moment ago. She let out some soft moans as I placed my right arm around her waist to support her.

I slowly made my way downwards, leaving kisses all over her body. I gently placed her down onto the futon. She placed her hands behind my head as I began to suckle on her breasts. Her nipples were getting erect. I began sucking and licking on one while I rubbed and played with the other. She let out some soft moans as I continued pleasing her. A moment later, I felt something wet hitting my knee. Before I could even go down even further, she pulled my head towards her. "Me first." Yuno muttered as she gave me a soft kiss. She made me sat down in front of her. She grabbed my slightly erected member and began to gently stroke it. She gave me some gentle kisses before she slowly went down to my body.

She began kissing, licking the scars on my chest as she continued stroking my member. I let out some groans as I felt my blood starting to rush downwards. "You got some new scars, huh …" Yuno commented. "I guess …?" I muttered as she slowly made her way even downwards. She began kissing my member, carefully tracing the back with her tongue. She placed the head in her mouth and began sucking it. I tried to stop myself from moaning, but the pleasure coming from member is too much. She bobbed her head up and down, sucking my member until it reached the back of her throat. I could feel her tongue playing with my tip as her hazy eyes were locked on me. She takes it out and lets out a huge deep breath. "I still can't put everything inside …" She commented as she continued to stroke the shaft, which is now wet with her saliva. "Is it too much?" I asked. "Well, do you want to see me puke all over this bad boy again?" She asked with a rather curious expression on her face. "W-What? I rather not." I replied. She let out a soft laugh after hearing my reply and continued pleasing me.

She then turns her body around and placed her wet crevice on top of my face. I began eating her, licking and tasting her sweet nectar as she continued her duty. I grabbed onto her firm ass and placed my tongue inside her. She let out a sudden loud moan as her nectar slowly began to ooze out. Her taste was slowly filling my entire mouth. It's driving me crazy. It was a bit salty, yet so sweet. "T-Toshii … too much …!" Yuno said as she halted due to the waves of pleasure entering her. I began kissing and sucking her clit as my finger entered her wet crevice. Now, she completely stopped from pleasuring me as she laid on top of me frozen in ecstasy. Soon, I noticed some whitish liquid oozed out from her wet crevice as her whole body twitched. She let out a moan filled with ecstasy as she reached her climax.

We took a slight breather as she laid beside me. She was panting, and was sweating all over. "You're too good down there …" Yuno remarked with a rather embarrassed smile on her face. I used my left hand to wipe away the sweat from her face and gently pulled her closer. We shared another passionate kiss as our sweat began to mix with one another. As I withdrew myself from her, I then position myself on top of the naked Yuno. "Come, Toshii …" She whispered as she spread her legs in front of me, revealing her damp and wet crevice. I took my erected member and positioned it by the entrance. With one slow thrust, we became one.

Yuno let out a loud moan as her body began to quiver. I clenched my teeth as I began to thrust in and out my member in a rhythmic manner. She was really wet, and there wasn't that much resistance inside. I could feel my tip hitting her deepest part. I used my right elbow as a slight leverage as I kept on swinging my hips. Tears slowly fell from her eyes as she tried her best to keep herself under control. "Toshii …! Toshii …!" She screamed out as her ecstasy-filled voice echoed throughout the night. Every time I pull my member back, I could feel her wet crevice sucking it back in. The waves of pleasure began to swell up inside of me. My sweat trickled down onto her as she pulled me closer. She locked her legs behind my back. I could see her biting her lip as I kept on the rhythm. She gasped for air whenever my tip kisses her deepest part. Our entire bodies were filled with ecstasy and lust.

After a while, I was reaching my limit. Though I wanted to make this moment last longer, my body refused to cooperate. Exhaustion slowly took over. My member began to twitch as her walls began to clamp down even tighter. Just how many times did she climax during this? Did it felt that good for her? As my movements became rougher, I felt her nails digging behind my back. I let out a groan, but kept my composure. "Toshii … T-Too much! I'm … losing my mind …!" Yuno screamed as she buried her face under my chest. "Y-Yuno …!" I whispered as I wrapped my left arm behind her head and pushed my member even further. With one strong thrust, I could feel my entire lower body exploding. The swelled up pleasure within me surged out into her as I felt something warm splashing onto my lower body. She gasped for air as my seed slowly filled her up.

I slowly pushed myself up, revealing her tired face. Her saliva was drooling down and her tears trickled down from her hazy eyes. "S-Sorry if I went rough on you …" I muttered as I wiped away her tears and sweat from her face. "It's … okay, Toshii. It felt too good …" Yuno said with a soft giggle as she gave me a warm smile. I could feel my chest tightening up as she stared at me lovingly. I … wanted to cry at that time. I couldn't deny how much I love her, and that is why the next thing I'll do, brings so much sorrow within me. "I love you." I whispered as I laid my head down in her bosom. "I love you too … Toshii. I love you so much." She whispered back as she embraced me tenderly. Fatigue slowly took over, and my vision slowly became blurry. As I slowly lost consciousness, I felt something wet coming from my eye.

 **DAY REMAINING: 1**

* * *

The sound of the birds chirping from a distance and the warm morning breeze woke me up. I slowly opened my eyes. I couldn't still feel the lower half of my body. Slowly, I sat up. I fixed my pink bangs as it was covering my eyes. I could feel my unkempt hair swaying as the gentle breeze entered the room. My body felt sore, but it didn't bother me that much. Toshii was great last night. Too bad he was too tired to go even further. Speaking of Toshii, I turned my attention beside me. It was empty. He wasn't beside me. He probably woke up early and did some chores. I told him before that he should let me do all the work since I'm practically his wife, but he never listens. I could still remember when he …

 _Eh? Why are you cooking our breakfast? That's my job!_ _  
 _Calm down, pretty lady. You were sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to wake you up._  
 _Now, sit down and wait for your Toshii to finish things up.__

Odd. Our shared memory … I can't remember it that well. It was like it was filled with static and Toshii's face was blurry. Perhaps I'm still sleepy, or maybe I just need to eat something. I could feel my stomach growling after all. I stood up and then put on my underwear and Toshii's shirt. I fixed our futon and went out of our room. I went straight to the dining room and found a breakfast on top of the table. Ah, I knew it. "Toshii? Are you here?" I said as I looked around. He shouldn't be moving around that much. Did he take his meds? Since my search within area was to no avail, I simply sat down and began eating. He's probably by the garden, staring at the sky.

After breakfast, I brought my plate to the kitchen. As I approached the sink, I noticed Toshii's pill box at a corner. It looked like it was thrown there as the pills were scattered on top of the kitchen table top. Is he … okay? Did he lashed out again? "You don't have to throw it … Toshii." I whispered as I placed down my plate and approached the pill box. He feels like an uncontrollable storm recently. Is the guilt and sorrow slowly eating him away? I gave him some anti-depressants, pain relievers and sleeping pills, but I think it's not working. I gotta find him.

After a long while of searching around the house, I couldn't find any trace of him. Did he went out without telling me? As much as I hate it, I have to use my diary. I could still remember the place where he hid the diaries for safe keeping. From the garden, I went towards the once sealed room. As I entered the room, I noticed the cupboard, which was open. The false wall was beside it. I got alarmed and quickly approached the cupboard to check its contents. The diaries where missing. All of them were gone. Did … Toshii took all of it with him? Is he … planning to end the game without me knowing? What is he thinking? We still have our promise! It can't end like this, right? Before I could stand up, I noticed a small parchment by the table. I thought it was some piece of paper that I forgot to throw out, but there was something written on it that got my attention.

 _Thank you for everything.  
_ _Goodbye._

"Toshii's handwriting …" I muttered as I read the parchment. I could feel a sudden pain in my chest as the thought of Toshii leaving me behind entered my mind. No … it's not going to happen. He's not going to end it like this! I have to find him! He's not thinking properly! I quickly ran back to our room and quickly put on my bra. After quickly dressing up, I rushed towards the entrance. Where could he go?! At his current state, he couldn't go that far! He has to be somewhere near! He has to fulfil our promis-

As I was about to open the door, a sudden wave of pain surged into my head. It felt like my mind was being split open. I fell onto one knee as I held onto my temple. What … is this? These memories … who is this boy that is showing up in my mind? He looks … familiar … but I can't say his name. Do I know him? No … I shouldn't! I don't care about any other man! Toshii … is the only one … for me! I have to find him. I know for sure that he'll take this pain away! I mustered enough willpower and shrugged off the pain. I opened the door and ran out. Where could he be?! Think, Yuno. Think! He must have left some clues before leaving! He has to!

I slowly became frustrated as I came to realize that I was running blindly. I couldn't think properly as the pain continued to pulsate within my mind. Toshii's face … why is it becoming blurry? Why our memories are slowly getting filled with static? What is happening to me …? This never … wait. This happened before, when we visited my home during Tenth's attack. For a moment, my memories became scrambled. I suddenly felt fear within me. I … don't want to forget about Toshii! I don't want to! Make it stop! Tears began to flow out from my eyes uncontrollably. He has to be … at his brother's unit! He must be waiting for me there! I was nearly at Sakurami Condominiums when I suddenly remembered our conversation last night.

 _Y-Yuno. Can you … remind me, how we first met?  
_ _Come on. It's Sakurami Middle School! Remember? The school which Ninth blew up?_

The school … is he in school?! Am I thinking too much about his question last night? It's a big gamble. I could lose my consciousness anytime soon due to this pain. I … have to decide quickly. I can't hold on any longer. He has to be there! He didn't ask that question out of randomness! I quickly turned my back and ran back to the intersection. As I reached the other side of the intersection, I bumped into a teenager blindly. I fell to my knees, shaking in pain. "A-Ah! Sorry! I wasn't … wait. Gasai? Gasai, Yuno? What are you doing here?" The brown-haired girl asked as she approached me. Her face was familiar, like I met her somewhere before.

"It's me! Hino! Your classmate, remember?" Hinata said as she helped me stand up. "Why were you running? Wait. Where are your shoes?" The purple-haired girl beside her asked. "I-I was … rushing. Sorry. I don't have time." I said as I was about to begin running once more. "Wait! You're looking for Nohiru-kun, right?" Hinata asked. Her question stopped me in my track. "Where is he?! Did you see him?!" I frantically asked her as I grabbed onto her shoulders. My action caught her by surprise. "W-Woah! Calm down! I-I saw him near the closed middle school earlier. He looked weird, like he was completely in a trance." She replied. "We tried saying hi to him, but he simply ignored us. He was holding onto a black bag and was muttering something like he's going to end it or something." Her purple-haired friend stated. Hearing their words, I let go of her and sprinted towards the school. He's there! I found him!

I reached the school's gates. I could feel a sharp pain in my feet, but I decided to ignore it. The gate was locked with a chain before, but it seems like someone shot the lock. Did he … found Arashi's revolver? I swear I made Akise throw his trophy away! I entered the school grounds and quickly looked around. Where could he be? He's here somewhere! I'm not … going to last any longer. My breathing is too ragged, and my vision is slowly getting more blurry. Where …

I suddenly remembered a memory. Though it was filled with static, I could easily distinguish the location. There was a time that Toshii would go up the rooftop and stared into the cityscape. I'd be by the stairwell, watching him. Why did that memory popped into my head? Is that … a sign? He could be in our classroom, where we made our first promise! I … don't know! I have to go! I took the gamble went straight towards the stairwell. I held onto the railing for support as my body slowly refused to go even further. I was nearing my limit. I don't get what's happening to me. Why am I feeling like this? Why am I feeling like I'm being erased? Toshii … must know the answer! He has to!

With all of my strength, I slammed the door open. I fell flat on the paved tiles, gasping for air. My body was shaking in pain, but I have to keep going. I tilted my head and saw him. He was standing near a destroyed a fence, looking at me. Huh? Why is he … staring at me like that? Like I'm his enemy? "T-Toshii …! I finally … found you …" I muttered as I forced myself up. Suddenly, he began clapping. Like he was applauding me for something. "I knew that you'd find me. Even without your diary, you're one hell of a stalker, Gasai." Toshii remarked with a cold tone in his voice. G-Gasai …? Why is he calling me that? "W-What? Come on, Toshii. Let's go home. I … don't feel well. My mind's a mess. Let's go home now, okay?" I pleaded as I slowly approached him.

 **BANG!**

I suddenly froze. A bullet nicked the paved tile a few inches away from me. "Don't stop me. I'm a step away from my wish. Don't make me pull the trigger once more." Toshii coldly said as he glared at me. I could feel his killing intent as he aimed the revolver at me. "W-Why … are you doing this? Wish? I thought you didn't want to become a god, Toshii! I thought you didn't want t-" "Things change. When I woke up, I suddenly had a goal. A wish that I want to be granted." He replied. The diaries were on the paved tile behind him. It didn't seem like he's planning to destroy each one of it, so I don't get it. What is he planning?

I was at a lost. My mind was starting to crumble down. All of memories with him were starting to change. No matter how much I wanted it to stop, it continued. I was … beginning to forget him. No, it feels more like he was getting erased. "T-Toshii … why is my … memories going haywire? All of our moments … I can't remember them that clearly anymore …" I asked him. "It's almost time, that's why. He's waking up, you know." He answered. "Waking up? Who …?" I asked once more. "Your beloved god. Your adorable lover." He replied with a pained expression on his face. "W-What are you … talking about? You're my only lover! You're the only one that I love!" I shouted out with frustration in my voice.

"Don't deny it. I'm not the one that you love." Toshii stated. The revolver started to shake slightly as I took a step closer. "S-Stop it! I don't know this boy that's replacing you in my memory! I don't care about him!" I shouted once more. He has this painful expression in his face, like he doesn't want to do this. Is he hesitating? "Gasai. Stop. Please." He muttered as he clenched his teeth. "I love you, Nohiru, Toshiro! Why are you doing this?! Why are you acting like this!? Wh-"

 **BANG!**

He shot another bullet towards me. I felt a sharp pain on the side of my left thigh as I fell on my knee. I could see the crimson liquid slowly dripping out as the bullet grazed me. "Shut the hell up! You don't know what I feel! You don't know jackshit about the suffering that I'm going through! You love me? Huh. Don't fucking lie to me," Toshii shouted in frustration. "You're merely saying that since I'm his proxy! When he wakes up, you wouldn't even fucking remember me! I won't believe in those words any further, Gasai! I'm no pawn of yours!" He screamed as he pulled the trigger once more.

 **BANG!**

The bullet missed this time around. I could feel my legs shaking as I looked at him. "Toshii … please. Stop this … I don't want this. I don't to end it like this …" I pleaded as I began sobbing. "Shall I remind you, his name?" Toshii muttered as he looked at me coldly. "What are you talking about? Whose nam-"

 _Amano, Yukiteru._

As Toshii muttered that name, a sudden wave of unknown memories surged into my mind. No, it was more of, memories that were locked away within me. I grabbed my temple as I began screaming. His voice filled my mind. Slowly, I could feel my feelings for Toshii starting to waver, like it's being ripped out from my soul. The boy's name is … Amano, Yukiteru? "Yu … kki …?" I muttered. "There you have it." He muttered as he aimed his revolver at me once more.

"T-Toshii … no …! I love you! I only love … you! Please! Help me! I don't want to forget about you! Please! Stop the voices! I don't want … this!" I pleaded for help as I reached out for him with my shaking hand. I suddenly noticed something trickling down from his eye. "Hate me, Gasai. I used you to reach my goal. I … refuse to be a cog in the machine. I will … have my wish," T-sh-i stated with a determined look. "As for our promise, I'll fulfill it." He said as he pulled the trigger once more.

 **BANG!**

For a second, I closed my eyes. Did the bullet hit me? I … don't feel anything aside from the wound on my thigh. Did he … miss? I slowly opened my eyes. He looked at me with a painful smile on his face. "I … still couldn't do it. I thought I … mustered enough strength to pull the trigger, to end it here, but I just can't … huh?" T-hi- muttered as he dropped the revolver. He turned his back and placed the diaries inside the bag. "T-Toshii …?" I muttered as I felt my consciousness slowly slipping away. I saw his mouth moving, but I couldn't hear his words. I cried out, reaching out for him, but in the end, he didn't looked back.

As my consciousness faded away, I caught a glimpse of my beloved jumping out to his death.

 **DAY REMAINING: -  
** **DAY REMAINING: 0**

* * *

I dropped the revolver. I couldn't do it. I … couldn't kill her. Tch. Here I thought I had the guts to kill her. I turned my back and placed the diaries inside the bag. This is it. The end is finally here. I can't stop now. I have to end it. I have to … reach my goal. I took a deep breath and took one final glance at her. She was crying, bawling her eyes out. She was reaching out for me, pleading for me to come home. But … I don't have a home. I can't go back to her. That … isn't my place.

 _Goodbye, my love. I love you. Be happy._

I muttered those words as I tried my best to stop myself from running back to her. I can never stomach the sight of her like this. I have to end this quickly before my determination wavers. After one deep breath, I ran towards the broken fence. Without hesitation, I jumped out from the rooftop into my impending death. The school was 5 stories tall. The fall will be short. "Deus! I have all the diaries! Grant me, my wish!" I screamed at the top of the lungs as the concrete pavement slowly become closer. As I was inches away from the ground, I closed my eyes, hoping that it'll be painless.

I smashed my head onto something hard. I could feel my bones cracking as my body flopped onto the ground. I was hurting all over, but yet, why am I still alive? Why am I still breathing? I slowly opened my eye. I found myself inside the Casualty Cathedral. The huge entity was in front of me, looking at me with amazement in his eyes. "Congratulations, Toshiro. You have won the game." Deus said as he began clapping. I slowly stood up, holding onto my head in the process. "Did I … make it? Or did I die and was transported here?" I asked him as I looked around. Strange. Even though this is the cathedral, something feels off. "Before we get started, I welcome you, to the real world." He stated as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the cathedral was filled with light. I was blinded for a second, but as my vision slowly cleared up, I noticed two pods in front of me, and Deus ... was nowhere to be found.

A silver haired boy was standing beside one of the pods. He was looking at me with a rather sorrowful look in his eyes. Beside him, was a dark-skinned girl and short-haired woman with an eyepatch. "Akise … MuruMuru … Nee-sama …" I muttered. Huh? My memories … it's back? I … don't remember a thing about Amano's? No … to be precise, it's like it's not even there, his memories I mean. "You finally reached this place." Akise said as he slowly made his way towards me. "I … did it. I did it." I said with a rather relieved tone in my voice. "Yes, yes. You did it. Congratulations. You gave us one amusing show to be honest!" MuruMuru remarked as she floated beside me. When did she … heh. This kinda feels nostalgic. As Minene approached me, I can't help but to limp my way towards her. "Nee-sama! I did it! I d-"

Suddenly, her hand pushed me away. She looked at me with disgust in her eye. "Don't call me that, brat," Minene said as I slowly pulled myself away. Ah … I forgot. This is … the real Minene, not the Minene that I knew in the proxy world. She's not … my "elder-sister". "Sorry, but I'm not the woman that you were close to back in that world. She's gone, kiddo. That world dissolved into nothingness." She stated as she went back to the pods. "A-Ah … right …" I muttered. "I'm sorry, Toshiro-kun. The world where you came from, is no longer here. The moment when you called out for Deus, that world began to vanish into nothingness. I'm the only one that knows you personally." Akise said as he tries to cheer me up.

Suddenly, the sound of a pod opening caught our attention. "Easy there. I got you." Minene said as a young man falls into her arms. The black-haired teenager held onto his head as Akise and MuruMuru went towards them, leaving me behind. "Where am … I?" The teenager asked. "Ah! Yukiteru! You're finally awake!" MuruMuru said as she began picking on him, like it's their daily routine. "A-Ah! MuruMuru! W-Wait. Stop!" He said with a rather annoyed yet happy tone in his voice. "Welcome back, Yukiteru-kun!" Akise said with an upbeat tone. "Welcome back? Did I … leave? Sorry, my head's a mess." He asked. Akise simply answered back with a loving stare at him. "Geez. The two of you made everyone panic, you know. You guys are really a handful." Minene said as she played with his black hair. "H-Hey! Ninth! Stop that! Geez! Wait." He said as he took notice of my presence.

For a while, we stared at each other. The proxy and the original finally meet. "Who's … that guy?" He asked as he pointed at me. "A-Ah … you see. He helped us to get you back. We owe him a lot. He's Nohiru, Toshiro." Akise replied. "Nohiru, Toshiro …? Well, from the looks of things, I really think that guy helped us big time, huh? Uhm. Sir … Sir Nohiru?" He said as he waved at me, calling me to come closer. I blankly stared at them. This is … the real world. The world where everything revolves around Amano, Yukiteru. Hah. I see. My wish is finally in my grasp. A sudden violent feeling resurfaced and quickly took over me. I can't let this opportunity slide! This is my moment! I will … steal this world from you, Amano! I will take your spot! I will become god of this world! That spot … belongs to me! I should be there, not you!

 _Huh?_

The moment I took a step towards them, my body suddenly crashed downwards. It felt like there was nothing beneath me, like there was nothing below supporting my entire body. Confused, I pushed myself up. I saw a look of panic in Akise's eyes. Amano, MuruMuru and Minene were alarmed. Why … are they looking at me like that? Why … huh? My legs … where are they? Below my knees where my legs used to be, were nothing. I was … de-materializing. I … understand. The proxy is no longer needed. "It's too soon! Toshiro-kun!" Akise shouted as he ran towards me. "What's … happening? Am I … being erased?" I asked as Amano and Minene followed the silver-haired boy. As Amano was a few inches away from me, I tried to get a hold of him, but the moment I tried to, my left hand started to de-materialize. "N-No … no. Noooo!" I screamed in terror. I am so close. I can't let it end like this.

"Akise! Quick! We have to help him! If he helped us to get me back, then we have to do something!" Amano cried out as he grabbed onto my shoulder. I wanted to kill him, to take everything away from him, but in my current state, I could only scream in terror. "It's … impossible. The proxy world … came to an end. He is your proxy, and since his world came to an end, he … has to vanish alongside with it." Akise replied with a pained look in his eyes. "F-Fuck you Akise! Damn it, do something!" I screamed in frustration. At midst of the panic, the last pod opened. Amano turned his head and went towards the pod. "Yuno! You're okay! Quick! I know this might be sudden, but there's this g-" Before Amano could even finish, the newly-awakened goddess pushed him aside. In her open hand, a knife materialized. "Oy! Gasai! What the hell is that?!" Minene asked as she was alarmed by the approaching goddess. "Y-Yuno! Stop! He helped us! Don't do it!" Amano shouted as I finally caught a glimpse in her eyes.

The Yuno that I know … was gone. Standing in front of me, was a goddess, stricken with fury and rage. With a shockwave, she pushed the three beside me away. Ah, she's beautiful. I can't help but to smile as she looked at me in a vicious manner. "Dear goddess of this world. Please, grant me my wish." I pleaded as my tears began to fall. In an instant, a knife plunged deep within my chest. My body was on fire as I fell down onto the floor. Oddly, my de-materialization stopped. She mounted me and pulled out the knife. "You soiled me." Yuno muttered as she raises the knife once more. "And I ... love you." I replied as my blood spewed out from the gaping hole in my chest and from my mouth. With every plunge of the knife, I could vividly remember our memories together.

 _There's no one in this world for me, but you, Toshii.  
_ **"How dare you! You defiled me!"**

 _Geez. I want to hear from you at least. Come on, tell me.  
_ **"You think I'll let you off just like that? Huh?! I don't care even you saved the world! I won't forgive you."**

 _Promise me … to end my suffering, okay? Toshii.  
_ **"I'll make you suffer! I don't care even you're a proxy! I'll make you suffer before you disappear!"**

 _I'll protect you, Toshii.  
_ **"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"**

Odd. Though I should feel pain right now, I am completely at peace. Every time Yuno plunges the knife deep into my body, I felt some sort of bliss. Now, I question myself if I was really a masochist from the get-go. My blood splattered everywhere, and my vision is starting to get cloudy. My ever-last adrenaline rush was slowly dying with me. At this angle, everything behind her was completely blurry. I can't even see Amano anymore.

Still, I don't understand this girl. Why are there tears in her eyes as she kills off the man who "soiled" her, the man who "defiled" her? I could clearly see how furious she was as she clenched her teeth tightly while she kept on stabbing my dying body. Did she … retained her memories back from the proxy world? Ugh. That's going to be a problem. Does she feel that wrathful? Does she completely hate me? Does she think that I am merely a waste of space in their realm? If so, then why does her eyes tell a different story? Why can I see regret and sorrow in her pink eyes? Perhaps … her memories from the proxy world are conflicting with her emotions. I … really messed her up, didn't I? For a moment, she stopped stabbing to catch her breath. Her face was dirtied by my blood. With my last ounce of strength, I forced my shaking right hand to move. She didn't move an inch as my bloody hand caressed her face. I tried to say something, but my throat was already clogged up with my own blood. Even so, I desperately tried to convey my last message to her.

"I … am … s-so … sorry …" I muttered as my blood continued to seep out from my mouth. Hearing my words, she clenched her teeth once more as she continued to stab me. Her tears dripped down onto me. I felt my body getting colder. Heh. This is it. My true wish, is finally here.

… _That never happened in the previous events. Even Amano, Yukiteru was not capable of doing that feat. So? What would you ask in return?  
_ _Heh. My wish is simple.  
I … want out. I want out of this madness. Give me true freedom.  
_ _That's my only wish._

As I breathe my last breath, I suddenly remembered the words that Shaco once told me.

… _She is a queen, a goddess, while I am merely a jester, here to entertain her as her king slowly recovers from her folly. I … can never call her as mine._

Those words resonated inside my head whenever I touched her after my awakening. Every time I saw her smiling at me with those cute lips of hers that I loved, I felt my entire heart crumbling in shear sorrow and despair. Though she was within my grasp, I can never truly hold her, to fully cherish every last moment that I had with her. Every time I would touch her, I'd see Amano's face within my head. I'd see that genuine smile of hers inside my head as she was wrapped around her beloved king's arms. Those memories, visions, were enough to break me, but I chose to accept it, to accept this role of mine. The thought of winning the game and becoming a god never left my mind.

Yes, I could've killed everyone, including Yuno, and destroyed Amano's existence, but I was in the proxy world. Even if I won the game, the result will not change anything. I wouldn't have the power to change anything. In the end, I chose to end the game in my own terms and here I am, contemplating my final actions within my fading consciousness. My corporeal body probably got completely de-materialized by now.

I'm sorry, Yuno. I'm sorry I did those things to you. I'm sorry that I defiled you, that I took advantage of you. I'm sorry that I was too selfish. I just hope that Amano erases me from your memory. I don't deserve to be remembered. I am … sorry, for everything. I'm tired. I think it's time for me … to completely fade away now. I have so many questions about this realm, but I'm too tired to think anymore. No one's going to answer those things for me anyway. But … at least answer this for me, love.

 _What am I … if I can't be yours?_

* * *

The wrath of the pink-haired goddess finally passed. Due to her request, the memories of the proxy world was completely wiped out from her mind, giving her peace. Only three people could remember what happened in that once forgotten world and the struggle of a certain young man. The god and the goddess of that realm ruled peacefully for a long time. They were accompanied by the small demi-god that they see as their own child. In due time, the former terrorist that once participated in the death game soon passed away, living her life normally as possible. She finally got the normal life that she secretly yearned for, and she had no complaints about it. The silver haired observer kept on doing his duties and oversaw everything that happened in that realm. But, behind the gods' backs, he created a contingency plan if the previous event would happen once more.

At the deepest depths of the Archaic Records was a sleeping pod. It was the same pod that the god once used when he had to recover his existence. The pod was sealed off, kept hidden in the darkest depths. The silver haired observer would visit the pod from time to time. He'd check if "he" was sleeping soundly, if "he" was happy in his dreams. The observer felt bad for using the proxy-being like this, but he has no choice. He is the best back-up plan if that worst-case scenario would happen again. For now, "he" stays in his dream, where "he" is leading a fulfilling life with his beloved.

For now, he will sleep and will keep on dreaming.  
 **He will forever be, a cog in the machine.**

 **END**

* * *

 **And that wraps up Existence:Rewrite! Was the ending too dark, too heavy for Toshiro? To be honest, as his creator, I never saw him befitting of a good ending. He killed people, and he can never atone himself. That's why I came up with Rewrite so that I could properly give him the ending the fits him. Anyway, how was it? Did you enjoy the long hiatus ride? lol Once more, I would like to thank you for following my fanfic! I hope to see you again in my next work! Till then, thank you and goodbye!**


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